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Ashwin shines as India thrash NZ

Ravichandran Ashwin produced a career-best 12-wicket match haul as a merciless India relied on the spinners to crush New Zealand by an innings and 115 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series here on Sunday.

New Zealand batting collapsed yet again as they lost thelast seven wickets for 26 runs to get bundled out for a meagre 164 in thesecond innings, shortly after the tea break to give the hosts an easy victorywith more than a day to spare.

Ashwin's match figures of 12 for 85 is the best by an Indianin a Test match against New Zealand, eclipsing S Venkatraghavan's 12 for 140.

The Tamil Nadu spinner foxed the inexperienced Kiwi batsmenby extracting a lot of turn and bounce from the strip as he capped 6/54 tofollow up his first innings tally of 6/31.

Ojha returned with figures of three for 48 to lend a finesupport at the other end as the spin duo shared nine wickets between themexposing the Black Caps' vulnerability to play spin.

India had a frustrating first session as the overnight duoof Brendon McCullum (42) and Kane Williamson (52) put up a brave front afterresuming at 44 for one, following on in the second innings.

But after Umesh Yadav (1/32) broke the 72-run second wicketpartnership, New Zealand lost their remaining nine wickets in 34.4 overs withmore than a day left for the match.

New Zealand were 146 for six at tea but lost the remainingfour wickets in 25 minutes after resumption as the spin duo wreaked havoc inthe camp.

It was also India's first Test win in nine months followinga 0-4 spanking in Australia as the batting stalwarts Rahul Dravid and VVSLaxman retired in the aftermath of the series.

The two teams will now travel to Bangalore for the secondTest to begin from August 31.

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You are sports stars of tomorrow: PM to U-19 team

Calling them the "sports stars of tomorrow", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday congratulated the Indian under-19 cricket team which was crowned World Champions in Australia.

PTI
Published Aug 26, 2012, 11:42 AM IST
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Expressing his happiness at the sterling performance of theyoung players, Singh in his message said that "You are the sports stars oftomorrow." The Indian Under 19 cricket team, led by captain UnmuktChand, lifted the cup on Sunday. Unmukt scored a magnificent hundred to scriptvictory over formidable defending champions Australia by six wickets in thefinal on Sunday.This was India U-19s first triumph after Mohammed Kaif andVirat Kohli led their respective teams to victory in…

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