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Prabhakar turns chief tormentor

Manoj Prabhakar's lethal swing bowling dismissed New Zealand for a meagre 145 in the second one-day international in Amritsar yesterday before India levelled the series 1-1 with a comfortable six-wicket victory.

New Zealand, who won the first one-day match last Wednesday by eight wickets, failed to master India's bowling on a lively wicket where the occasional ball kept low and skidded through.

Prabhakar, spearheading the Indian attack, claimed five for 33 to return career-best figures in limited-over internationals as the decision to put the visitors in to bat paid off. The tourists were bundled out in 44.1 overs.

The spinner's victims included Mark Greatbatch and Martin Crowe, both of whom fell cheaply.

Greatbatch was out to a brilliant Sachin Tendulkar catch at first slip for two, as the left-handed opener got a faint edge to an outswinger, while Crowe, who scored an unbeaten century in the first match, was trapped lbw by Prabhakar with a delivery that kept low and seamed in from the off-stump.

Opener Nathan Astle provided some respectability to the New Zealand score with a half-century off 66 balls, before he became the sixth man out for 59 off 86 deliveries, falling lbw to Tendulkar.

Prabhakar was on a hat-trick when he claimed the scalps of Lee Germon and Middlesex's Dion Nash on consecutive balls, both caught behind by wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia. Last batsman Danny Morrison denied him the feat by warding off an in-cutter. Prabhakar's new-ball partner Javagal Srinath, who took two for 26, had Larsen caught behind to end the New Zealand innings.

Chasing a New Zealand total of 145 from 44.1 overs, India survived some early scares to reach their target with 6.2 overs to spare.

Middle-order batsmen Sanjay Manjrekar and Ajay Jadeja added 74 runs in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand after India had been reduced to 72 for four.

Opening batsman Tendulkar scored a brisk 39 off 51 deliveries to put India on course for victory on a wicket which seem to favour the bowlers.