Cricket: Rohit and Dhawan lay foundation for India win against New Zealand

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand: A substantial century partnership by Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan paved the way for an overwhelming 90-run win for India in the second one-day international against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
It put India 2-0 up in the series after they took the first match by eight wickets.
India, having elected to bat first, made 324 for four with Sharma and Dhawan laying the foundations with a 154-run opening stand.
They then set about clinically dismantling New Zealand who were all out for 234 with more than nine overs remaining.
Although New Zealand were able to match the required run rate through the first half of their innings none of the top order batsmen was able to settle in.
When the Dhawan was dismissed for 66 and India were one for 154 in the 26th over, New Zealand at the same stage were 146 for five.
Sharma, who offered a chance with an edge off the first ball of the innings -- which went to the boundary as New Zealand did not have a first slip -- continued on to make 87.
His century partnership with Dhawan was their 14th in the 93 ODI matches they have opened together.
Virat Kohli (43) and Ambati Rayudu (47) batted at a run-a-ball pace with accurate bowling by New Zealand restricting India's chances to hit out for most of the final 10 overs.
It took lusty blows from MS Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav to get the score over 300 when they smacked 35 runs in the last two overs.
While New Zealand scored freely in reply they lost wickets regularly.
When Kane Williamson found himself in the middle after the fifth over he tried to dominate, lashing out at Mohammed Shami with two sixes and a four off successive deliveries.
But Shami ended the over bowling Williamson for 20.
After Ross Taylor was stumped for 33, Kuldeep Yadav began to work his magic.
He removed Tom Latham for 34 and Colin De Grandhomme for three before claiming the wickets of Henry Nicholls (28) and Ish Sochi (nought) with successive balls to finish with four for 45 to go with his four for 39 in the first match of the series.
All-rounder Doug Bracewell top scored for New Zealand with 57 off 46 deliveries.