India, all out for 108, had to watch as New Zealand made much the better of the conditions to be 65 for three at the 15 over mark. Craig McMillan was taking advantage of the opportunity for some batting time and was 12 not out from 20 balls while Lou Vincent was five not out off seven.

New Zealand clearly decided there would be nothing tentative about their response on this occasion. Auckland, when they lost seven wickets in scoring 109, was not going to be repeated.

Stephen Fleming edged a ball just wide of Sourav Ganguly at third slip for a single, which brought Nathan Astle to the strike and he pulled a shorter ball for four runs to mid-wicket. Next ball he survived a big appeal for a catch behind.

In Srinath's third over, Astle went on the charge. In a brilliant display of hitting unequalled in this series he lofted the first ball for four to long off. The next was cut behind point for four. The third ball was sent back to long off. The fourth was a pull to mid-wicket, then two to fine leg, and then the best shot of them all, the last another four through extra cover.

But the removal of Srinath from the attack allowed India some breathing space and Agit Agarkar and Zaheer Khan pulled back the scoring rate with Khan picking up the wicket of Fleming, caught at third slip by Mohammad Kaif for four, off only 27 balls.

Six balls later new batsman Mathew Sinclair popped a simple return catch to Agarkar and departed for a duck. New Zealand's momentum was well and truly halted with the score sitting only 39 for two wickets.

Craig McMillan was struggling for his touch and took 14 balls to get underway, and even then it was a tentative drive to long off against Srinath which netted him three runs. But it was runs.

The off-shoot of that however, was that Astle attempted to repeat his earlier charge on Srinath but hit the ball high to mid-off where Sourav Ganguly held a good catch while looking into the sun. Astle departed, after a brief exchange of words with Srinath, for 32 scored off 30 balls. New Zealand were 50 for three wickets when Lou Vincent joined McMillan.

India's batsmen continued their miserable tour of New Zealand while the home bowlers were looking at career-best figures on the back of what was a disappointing Indian performance.

Extras of 22 were the top score in the innings.

Daryl Tuffey's spell of 10 overs for two wickets for 11 runs was fourth on the all-time New Zealand list for economy and a record against India, surpassing the none for 13 Ewen Chatfield achieved against India in Adelaide in 1985/86.

Sanjay Bangar was Tuffey's second victim when he edged a ball to wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum, who for the second time equalled Adam Parore's New Zealand record of five dismissals in an innings. He could have gained a share of the world record of six dismissals had he been able to stump Yuvraj Singh, but he wasn't able to glove the ball cleanly.

The ball before, off Nathan Astle's bowling when standing up to the wickets, had hit McCullum a painful blow in the chest causing a halt to play for a few moments.

Agit Agarkar, making his first appearance of the one-day series, hit out tamely at Nathan Astle and was taken at mid off by Paul Hitchcock.

Yuvraj Singh had looked as if he might be able to provide some runs at the end of the innings but after labouring hard for 12 runs off 44 balls he was unlucky to be out of his ground when bowler Hitchcock touched a hard return drive from Zaheer Khan onto the bowler's end stumps to run out Yuvraj.

India were 100 for eight and in the next over when Harbhajan Singh tried to hit Hitchcock high and square of the wicket, Lou Vincent was waiting at deep point to take an easy catch.

A streaky boundary to Zaheer Khan helped India avoid a lowest one-day score in matches against New Zealand which was the 108 scored in Auckland in the first match of the series.

But later in the same over he was dropped, a high chance to a leaping first slip Stephen Fleming.

However, the worst score was equalled off the first ball of the next over when Javagal Srinath sent an easy catch to Fleming at slip to end the innings on 108. That allowed him to equal Chris Harris' record of 87 catches in ODIs for New Zealand.

Oram finished with two for 22 off 8.1 overs while Hitchcock achieved the best figures of his career to date, with three for 30.

Their batsmen look shell-shocked and unless the New Zealanders make a complete hash of their innings, it is shaping as a 3-0 series lead to the home side.

The New Zealand bowlers are not earth shattering, but they have been accurate and have proven more patient than the Indian batsmen.

At the 30 over mark, India were 83 for five wickets with Yuvraj Singh on six and Sanjay Bangar on one.

V V S Laxman was perfectly entitled to feel aggrieved over his decision when given out caught by Brendon McCullum from Paul Hitchcock's bowling for 10 from 36 balls. He and Rahul Dravid were just getting their act together with Dravid having hit a fine off-drive while they were starting to run quick singles.

By the standards of this game, Hitchcock's fourth over was highly expensive. He conceded nine runs, courtesy of the first shot in anger from the Indians, which was a lovely pull shot from Rahul Dravid for four, a single to Dravid and then an equally tasty backfoot square drive by Mohammad Kaif, also for a boundary.

Then another five were taken off Paul Hitchcock's next over to have India at 64 for three wickets after 23 overs.

However, in the 25th over Dravid's frustration got the better of him and in what was a shot of desperation, he attempted a pull shot but only skied it in the direction of Daniel Vettori at mid-on who took the catch at the fielding circle falling backwards.

Another blow was struck when Mohammad Kaif offered a straight forward edge off Jacob Oram to McCullum and he was out for 17 off 26 balls. India were 82 for five wickets and in desperate trouble.

Daryl Tuffey was in outstanding touch and his nine overs had one wicket for 10 runs. Oram had one for 22 off eight while Kyle Mills had one for 19 off seven.

New Zealand were backing up the bowling effort with another classy display in the field, not only in catching but in run saving.

After 15 overs India were 25 for two wickets with V V S Laxman on five and Rahul Dravid on four.

Tuffey didn't continue his recent trend of getting a wicket in his first over, but he did just as well by containing the batsmen and his first seven overs conceded only nine runs while yielding him Sourav Ganguly's wicket.

So well was Tuffey bowling that captain Stephen Fleming was able to use four slips to Tuffey who bowled to his field immaculately.

India's batsmen continued to struggle for their form.

In Kyle Mills' second over, Sehwag survived one appeal for a caught behind but two balls later he got closer to the ball and McCullum took the catch to send Sunday's century maker on his way for seven scored off 20 balls. India were one for 10.

Ganguly had a life on two when he edged a ball from Mills. It was headed towards Stephen Fleming at first slip but wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum had an attempt at it and wasn't able to take the ball. India were 11 for one wicket at that stage.

Life didn't get any easier for Ganguly however. He looked all at sea against both Mills and Daryl Tuffey and was struggling with his technique against balls that were doing just a little bit. Finally, he touched a ball from Tuffey and was taken by McCullum. India were 16 for two wickets in the ninth over.

Mills bowled his best spell of the series to date conceding only 10 runs from his first five overs, the result of bowling a good line and length and making use of the slight assistance from the pitch.

Jacob Oram replaced him and looked to have a wicket first ball when Laxman got a bottom edge which was taken by McCullum but the appeal was declined by umpire Doug Cowie and Laxman, on three, survived. India were 20 for two wickets at the time.

Tendulkar's right ankle has still not recovered from the Christmas Eve training accident which saw him turn his ankle.

At the pre-game press conference, Ganguly said Tendulkar would play but when the teams were announced he was missing.

India did have a good start to the day when Ganguly won the toss and decided to bat first in the ideal conditions. There is a cooling breeze blowing but all it should do is provide some relief from the hot sun.

India have dropped Ashish Nehra, the probable cause being his poor fielding in Napier, while V V S Laxman has come into the side in place of Tendulkar. Agit Agarkar will also play.

New Zealand have gone with the same team that won in Napier, with Michael Mason named as 12th man.

The pitch for the game looks fast and with a superb-looking outfield there should be runs aplenty.

All indications are for a big crowd for this day/night match,

The teams are:

New Zealand-Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Mathew Sinclair, Craig McMillan, Lou Vincent, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, Daniel Vettori, Daryl Tuffey, Paul Hitchcock. (12th man-Michael Mason).

India-Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, V V S Laxman, Sanjay Bangar, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Javagal Srinath, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan. (12th man-Rakesh Patel).

The umpires are: Doug Cowie (New Zealand) and Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka). Tony Hill is TV Umpire.