After appearing to have run itself out of contention, New Zealand staged a dramatic reversal in fortunes which were all to no avail, losing to India in the second BNZ series one-day international at McLean Park last night.
In the first 50 overs New Zealand committed cricketing suicide with a world record-equalling five run-outs, leaving India only a modest 213 which appeared well within the dashing Indian batting line-up's capabilities.
But India lost wickets at regular intervals as Chris Harris and Gavin Laren weaved their slow-medium pace magic to bog down the Indian innings.
India wanted eight to win from the tension-packed final over bowled by caretaker captain Dion Nash and was eight wickets down. The No. 10, Anil Kumble, edged a desperately-needed boundary blow, then Nayan Mongia struck the winning runs with just one ball remaining.
New Zealand had late chances to apply extra pressure to India, but Gavin Larsen dropped a caught and bowled off Javagal Srinath and Adam Parore missed stumping Mongia on 19 - a costly miss.
Earlier the horrendous second-over dismissal of Bryan Young was a dreadful omen as a succession of players succumbed to reckless running between the wickets. New Zealand's intent was obvious and correct, to place pressure on the Indian fielding which throughout this tour has proved below par for an international side.
To a degree it succeeded frequently exposing the Indian's ineptitude in ground fielding, but ironically the Black Caps too often wasted precious wickets.
If the International Cricket Council wanted its newly-formed code of conduct commission to get some early inquiry practice it needed look no further given the suspicious self-destruction.
The jitters, which began at the top of the order with opener Matthew Horne the guilty party in the run-outs of Young and Roger Twose, spread to the middle order as Dion Nash, Chris Harris and Daniel Vettori perished. That left New Zealand having matched Australia, which lost five wickets to run-outs in the World Cup final in 1975.
New Zealand almost claimed the unwanted mark single-handedly with some debate over the dismissal of Adam Parore who appeared to inch forward for a run when he thought wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia had lost the ball only to be ruled stumped.
Horne ignored Young's imploring calls of ``no, no'' to end up at the same end and as the recalled opener had taken a step out of his crease and Horne had made his ground at the wicketkeeper's end the batsmen were deemed to have crossed. Young was ruled out after Horne had deserved to go.
Horne and McMillan appeared to have put the incident behind them with a 76-run second wicket stand where they had to counter one of the fastest paced pitches on tour which had prompted India to send New Zealand in.
Twose became another victim of Horne's impulsive running, but still New Zealand made pleasant progress reaching the 30-over mark at 148 for three and a score approaching 300 should have been in prospect with Horne and Chris Cairns advancing smoothly.
Then Horne, whose welcoming party in the dressing room might have comprised Young, Twose and a rope attached to the ceiling, was leg before to Tendulkar - an identical dismissal to his demise in Taupo. Apart from the run-out blemishes, Horne's innings gave the Black Caps the start it needed for a substantial score, his 61 coming from 95 balls with three fours and two sixes.
But Cairns could not carry that on nor the remaining batsmen as the Black Caps capitulated from 157 for three to lose its last seven wickets for 66 runs.