Wins over Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and now India will help get New Zealand off the bottom of the international ladder. As far as wins are concerned, the Basin Reserve now becomes New Zealand's most successful Test venue. New Zealand has now beaten India seven times in 36 encounters. In reaching 213 for 6, New Zealand made its fourth highest total in the last innings to win a Test.

The morning session with New Zealand needing 140 runs to win the match, a night watchman at the crease, injured Nathan Astle prepared to bat if necessary and India needing six wickets to win, was going to be crucial and decisive.

When Srinath dismissed Wiseman early on, all the advantages lay with India. Chris Cairns had not made much of acontribution in this match with either the bat or the ball, and in five Tests played at the Basin Reserve, his highest score was only 33.

Two hours and 17 minutes later, Cairns and Craig McMillan had batted New Zealand to victory by adding 137 for the sixth wicket, another record against India. The batting approach was positive, sometimes adventurous but in the main, very sensible.

Kumble posed the biggest threat if India were to win the match but he didn't have the overall support from other bowlers although Srinath put in a big effort. The Indian fielding was only average and when you conceded 26 extras including nine byes and bowl eight `no balls' in a total of 213, there is need to improve if a team wants to remain competitive.

Simon Doull was named the Man of the Match with a career best 7-65 and capturing nine wickets in the match. On the first day he set up a possible win for his team with controlled swing bowling.

Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammed Azharuddin made significant contributions to theirteam with centuries but needed more support from other members of the team. I believe that five or six players need to perform at their best in a match for a team to have a good chance of winning.

There will be some soul searching done prior to the next Test but there will be questions asked about their few Test wins on foreign soil in recent years. Psychologically, this can play on one's mind. India is till good enough to square the series.

The pitch at Hamilton is likely to produce another result however, although the Black Caps have the advantage. They must be aware of the danger of their own worst enemy -- complacency.

SCOREBOARD

India (1st innings): 208

New Zealand (1st innings): 352

India (2nd innings): 356

New Zealand (2nd innings, overnight 73-4): Matthew Bell c Dravid b Srinath 0, Matthew Horne lbw Kumble 31, Stephen Fleming b Kumble 17, Nathan Astle retd hurt 1, Craig McMillan not out 74, Adam Parore run out 1, Paul Wiseman lbw Srinath 0, Chris Cairnsc Jadeja b Srinath 61, Dion Nash not out 4; Extras (9b, 9lb, 8 nb): 26. Total (for six wickets in 60.3 overs): 215Fall of Wickets: 1-0, 2-42, 3-51, 4-67, 5-74, 6-211.

Bowling: Srinath 19.3-1-82-3 (8 nb), Prasad 10-3-26-0, Kumble 23-6-70-2, Harbhajan 5-1-11-0, Tendulkar 3-0-8-0.

Result: New Zealand won by four wickets.

Man-of-the-match: Simon Doull (New Zealand).

Umpires: Evan Watkin (New Zealand) and Eddie Nicholls (West Indies).