New Zealand 123 for 5 (Astle 42, Tendulkar 2-15) and 118 for 7 (McCullum 60, Tendulkar 3-40) beat India 133 for 5 (Tendulkar 72) and 87 for 6 (Adams 3-15) by 21 runs Brendan McCullum and Andre Adams upstaged their more illustrious colleagues as New Zealand eased to a 21-run victory over India in the Super Max international at the Jade Stadium in Christchurch. India were in command for most of the game, but set 109 for victory in the second innings, they could only limp to 87 for 6.

The Max game - two innings a side, ten overs an innings - has really caught on in New Zealand, with its hitting zones (where shots count for double) promoting some audacious strokeplay. But at the denouement, it was Adams, with 3 for 15 from his two overs, who made the difference as the Indian challenge faded.

With VVS Laxman captaining the side in the absence of Sourav Ganguly, India had started well, despite some devastating from Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan early on. Tinu Yohannan came on and bowled an excellent two overs, varying his pace and length cleverly, even as Sachin Tendulkar chipped in with the wickets of Chris Cairns and McMillan, bowled by a ripped legbreak.

New Zealand eventually finished with 123 from their 10 overs, a total India overhauled with some ease thanks to Tendulkar adapting to the format like a dream. He drove, slashed and pulled his way to a breathtaking 27-ball 72 before edging one behind off Paul Hitchcock. SS Das made 25 but the others disappointed, and the total of 133 was well below what it might have been.

It didn't seem to matter too much when Astle, McMillan and Cairns all departed early in the piece, as Yohannan and Zaheer Khan made a mockery of the batsman-friendly format. But Brendan McCullum savaged Virender Sehwag, thumping him for 31 in an over as New Zealand reached 118 in their second innings. He finished with 60, an innings that turned out to be the difference between the two sides as India fell away in the second innings.

It was a useful outing for the Indians, with Tendulkar showing definite signs that the enforced rest against West Indies has merely whetted his appetite for big deeds. On the bowling front, Yohannan was sensational, displaying the sort of variety that seemed to be beyond him earlier in the year.

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