New Zealand beats India by 40 runs in first Test

New Zealand has claimed victory in the first Test against India at Auckland on Sunday by polishing off the visitors for 40 runs with a strong pace attack.

It was an absorbing match where New Zealand dominated the first two days then India roared back when they dismissed the hosts for 105 in their second innings on Saturday, although the tourists were dismissed for 366 in pursuit of a lofty 407 to win on the fourth day.

According to Stuff.co.nz, left-armer bowler Neil Wagner, who claimed a total eight wickets in the game, was the star for New Zealand, ending with 4-62 including the big wickets of centurion Shikhar Dhawan (115) and Virat Kohli (67) with the old ball.

The report mentioned that wicketkeeper BJ Watling snared nine catches, six of them in the second innings and his catches were a record haul by a New Zealand gloveman in a Test, beating captain Brendon McCullum's record of eight against Pakistan in Napier in 2009.

New Zealand, ranked eighth to India's second going into this series, have now won three successive Tests this summer, all with an unchanged 11, the report added.