India’s winning streak finally snapped on Saturday as New Zealand cruised to an eight-wicket consolation win in the final One-dayer to deny the visitors a clean sweep of the ODI series.

India’s awe-inspiring batting order witnessed a rare collapse today and the visitors were skittled out for a paltry 149 runs in 36.3 overs and the score could have been embarrassing but for Virender Sehwag (40) and Rohit Sharma (43 not out).

New Zealand chased down the meagre target in just 23.2 overs after Jesse Ryder (63) gave them a flying start and Martin Guptill (57 not out) stayed till the end to see the side through in what turned out to be a one-sided contest at the Eden Park.

It turned out to be a memorable outing for Jesse Ryder who also scalped three wickets for 29 runs in his nine overs.

The Indians, who had already clinched the series, had to be content with a 3-1 scoreline with the Kiwis restoring some pride by convincingly winning the last game. Both the teams would renew their rivalry in a three-match Test series starting March 18.

Australia on Friday retained the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy after the crucial fifth and final ODI was called off due to heavy rain during New Zealand’s gutsy chase, leaving the series tied at 2-2.

The series-deciding match, which started five hours late from the scheduled start due to rains, was first reduced to a 22-over affair and, put into bat, Australia made 168 for four thanks mainly to unbeaten half centuries from wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (88) and Callum Ferguson (55).

New Zealand’s run chase was further delayed by rain and their target was revised to 156 from 20 overs but the match was eventually called off after the 14th over when the visitors were 123 for six, needing 33 off six overs with four wickets in hand.

Opener Martin Guptill was batting on 64 in company of debutant Brendon Diamanti who was on 26.

New Zealand had won the first two matches in Perth and Melbourne. Australia, who retained the trophy by virtue of winning the last series between the two countries, made a come back by winning in Sydney and Adelaide.

New Zealand’s run chase mainly revolved around a blistering 34-ball 64 not out by opener Guptill while his team-mates fell around him.

Australia achieved immediate success with Ben Hilfenhaus castling Brendon McCullum (2) with the second ball of the day.

Not to be deterred by the early setback, Guptill and one-down Peter Fulton scored at a brisk rate to reach 38 for one from three overs.

Then began the New Zealand slide, mainly due to extravagant shots. Fulton (22) top-edged Bracken to Ferguson and next man in, Ross Taylor (4), was also out trying for a big shot in the fifth over sent down by Mitchell Johnson.

At the other end, Guptill showed no signs of slowing down punishing Bracken and Johnson while his teammates made the procession to the pavilion.

Grant Elliott (0), Neil Broom (0) and Kyle Mills (1) fell in quick successions and New Zealand, from 40 for two after the fourth over, slumped to 73 for six after the eighth.

Guptill, who smashed five fours and three sixes, and Diamanti then starred in a 50-run stand from six overs for the unbroken seventh wicket before heavens opened up.

Earlier, Australia overcame a wobbly start and the unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 98 runs from 65 balls between Haddin and Ferguson helped the hosts post a respectable 168 for four from their 22 overs.

Haddin hit five fours and three sixes in his 65-ball knock while Ferguson faced 35 balls, seven of which were dispatched to the fence.

None of the other top order batsmen, including captain Ricky Ponting and left-hander Michael Hussey, could reach double figures in the series-deciding match.

Put into bat, Australia, were immediately on the backfoot under damp and overcast conditions, being reduced to 20 for two by the fifth over.

Kyle Mills removed James Hopes (5) and Ponting (2) and both fell to unconvincing shots.

Hopes went for a wild swing only to hole out at mid-off while Ponting perished caught behind.

David Hussey (6) paid the price for attempting a wild swing to an Iain O’Brien delivery which nipped back only to see his leg stump cart wheeling.

Michael Hussey shared a 40-run stand for the fourth wicket with Haddin in which his contribution was just nine before he fell to Vettori. At that stage Australia were 70 for four.

For New Zealand, Mills grabbed two wickets for 22 while Vettori and Iain O’Brien took a wicket each.

Despite four matches in two weeks, the Chappell-Hadlee Series comes down to one game. After New Zealand earned a surprise 2-0 lead, they gave up the next two contests to an Australian side playing in a more familiar style, with their big-name run-makers re-emerging from hibernation and the bowlers finding more ways to subdue the fighting, but under-manned tourists.

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However, New Zealand remain surprised and pleased to be in with a chance of winning. No matter what happens in this game, the young side will go home with extra belief after up-ending the hosts in such a dramatic way early in the series. The fast bowlers will have extra responsibility on a friendly surface and must delay Australia’s opening batting charges if they are to have a chance of lifting the trophy they last won in 2006-07.

Australia’s players, who were hurt and upset by the initial defeats, roared back in Sydney and Adelaide, and will be intent on not wasting this hard-earned position. Ricky Ponting might end the Australian campaign with a trophy – his only team prize so far this season came during the Test series against New Zealand – but it won’t be enough to mask the most disappointing home summer since he entered the Australian set-up in 1995-96.

A back injury has put Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke’s participation in doubt in Friday’s crucial final ODI against New Zealand in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series in Brisbane.

The injury kept Clarke away from Thursday’s net session at the Gabba. The series is levelled 2-2.

Skipper Ricky Ponting said that Clarke opted out of the training session but admitted that his deputy’s condition has to improve to open Australia’s innings.

“He is still a bit sore. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning before we make the final decision on him. We’ve got a few options that we’re considering and tossing around at the moment as to who will open if he doesn’t play, but we won’t give that away right at the moment,” Ponting was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.

If Clarke fails to pass the fitness test Friday morning, Queensland all-rounder James Hopes is likely to move up the order to open the innings while West Australian Adam Voges might get a call-up to the team.

Ponting also hinted that Clarke could be replaced by fast bowler Peter Siddle, to form a four-man pace attack to exploit Brisbane’s cloudy conditions.

Sri Lanka clinched a consolation 68-run victory against India in the fifth and final one-day international in Colombo on Sunday to avoid a series whitewash.

Sri Lanka piled up 320 for eight with opener Tillakaratne Dilshan top-scoring with 97, then bowled out India for 252. India won the series 4-1.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Nuwan Kulasekara (two for 42) and Muttiah Muralitharan (two for 41), produced their best display of the series.

In-form Yuvraj Singh provided some resistance with a powerful 73 but the Indian innings eventually ran out of steam.

Thilina Thushara struck first as Virender Sehwag (6) mishit a straight drive.

Kulasekara then followed up with the wicket of Suresh Raina, who was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara standing up to the stumps.

Sangakkara also caught Gautam Gambhir (13) off Kulasekara to leave India in early trouble on 52 for three.

Yuvraj still attacked and the run rate remained high, but he was unable to build partnerships. Muralitharan swung the game decisively Sri Lanka’s way as Yuvraj top-edged a sweep to be caught and bowled.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni kept India’s hopes alive for a while with his run-a-ball 53 and all rounder Ravindra Jadeja impressed with 60 not out on debut, but Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers squeezed the run rate to maintain the upper-hand.

Earlier, Dilshan top-scored with 97 from 117 balls with Sangakkara adding 84 as the pair provided the foundation for Sri Lanka’s largest total of the series with a 143-run second-wicket partnership.

Home skipper Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and opted to bat, a decision that was justified as his line-up responded by dominating the India attack for the only time this series.

Dilshan’s opening partner Sanath Jayasuriya helped give the innings a solid start with a rapid 37 in a 66-run first-wicket stand.

After Jayasuriya’s cameo was ended by Irfan Pathan, Sangakkara maintained the momentum with a positive innings, using up just 70 balls for his 84 and hitting eight fours and a six.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni tried all his bowling options to make breakthroughs, using nine bowlers during the course of the innings.

He was able to engineer a late collapse with Ishant Sharma making a quick double-strike, bowling Thilina Kandamby for 26 and having Chamara Kapugedera caught behind for a duck.

Dilshan was run out just short of a deserved century and Jayawardene was caught at short cover for one.

During a frenzied passage of play in which India stormed back into the game, Sri Lanka lost four wickets for one run to teeter on 256-6 but all rounder Farveez Maharoof steered the hosts past 300 with a swashbuckling 32, hitting a six and three boundaries.

Sharma was the most successful of the Indian bowlers, finishing with three for 60 from his 10 overs.

Both teams made two changes in the final game, Sri Lanka recalling spinner Ajantha Mendis and fast bowler Thilina Thushara.

India gave a debut to promising all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and a first game in the series to pace bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji.

Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene finally won the toss and decided to bat first against India in the fifth and final One-Day 
International being played at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo on Sunday.

Team India’s morale is on cloud nine as they not only had series in their kitty but they have also achieved their best-ever ODI ranking (number two).

A confident India would certainly go for the kill as they aim a series whitewash against Lanka in the final eleven. Both the teams will have to adjust accordingly as it is once gain a day affair. The teams will be playing in the same turf used in the last ODI.

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan have been rested for the final One-dayer also. In addition, Pragyan Ojha and Praveen Kumar too have been rested as they made way for debutant Ravindra Jadeja and Lakshmipathy Balaji in the final eleven.

It has already turned out to be a dream series for Dhoni, who made it to the record books by becoming the first Indian captain to win nine ODIs on the trot and he would surely like to keep the winning momentum.

The Indians have been phenomenal in all departments of the game in the series while in contrast the hosts were rather disappointing.

A demoralised Lankan outfit, which is at the brink of facing an embarrassing 0-5 series whitewash, will play to salvage some pride in front of their home crowd in the last match of the series. They have been outwitted at every aspects of the game by Dhoni’s men in blue

Although Murali created history in the last match by becoming the highest wicket-taker in One Day International, still he wasn’t convincing enough during the series as he had to toil hard to achieve the feat. He alongwith mystery man Ajantha Mendis never looked threatening as Indian batsmen negotiated them with consummate ease.

TEAMS

India:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Ishant Sharma, Yuvraj Singh.

Sri Lanka :

Mahela Jayewardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilina Kandamby, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekera, Thilina Thushara.

Having achieved their best-ever ODI ranking (number two), a confident India would be eyeing a series whitewash when they take on Sri Lanka in the final ODI on Sunday.

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It has already turned out to be a dream series for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who made it to the record books by becoming the first Indian captain to win nine ODIs on the trot and the flamboyant wicket-keeper batsman would like to keep the winning momentum going in the last game.

The other thing which will be in Dhoni’s mind when he takes the field is that every win from here on will bring his side one step closer to the numero uno spot, which is being currently occupied by South Africa (125) with a lead of just three points.

Coach Gary Kirstein had no hesitation in admitting that his main aim this year is to take India to the top position.

“Getting to number one is the obvious goal this year, but you just can’t think you have won the series 4-0 and be complacent in the next game.

“It doesn’t happen with us. When you go onto the field you go to win and not just compete. Great teams are those that carry the momentum forward into every game,” Kirsten said.