Ross Taylor's ninth one-day international century has eased New Zealand to an epic one-day series triumph over world champion India, a victory it is hoped will resonate as much with the Indian board and a global game in crisis, as it will with local fans.
New Zealand added India to South Africa and England as teams ranked in the top four it has beaten in series in just over 12 months.
Taylor has avoided the headlines in this series despite scoring 55, 57 and 17 before last night's crucial ton.
Not any more.
He demonstrated his match-winning power when it counted with 112 off 127 balls to reach the 279-run target with seven wickets and 11 balls to spare.
When Taylor is playing well it is not the big shots that garner attention; it is the deft late cuts and the sheer willpower not to slog through the legside.
He was supported by Kane Williamson (60 off 82 balls), who made his fourth consecutive half-century and captain Brendon McCullum (49 off 36 balls).
In contrast to Taylor's late cuts, McCullum never looks more imperious than when using his feet to drive on the up over cover.
It is just the second time after the 5-2 triumph in 2002-03 in which New Zealand has beaten India in a series of three or more ODI matches.
India's 278 for five looked competitive on a pitch which was expected to slow up further as the evening progressed but its pace bowlers could not give the touring side any traction. The team batting first had won in the two previous ODIs at the ground this season.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (79 off 73 balls) and the star of the third match at Eden Park, Ravindra Jadeja (62 off 54 balls), produced an unbeaten stand of 127 for the sixth wicket which kept India in the contest.
India faced a New Zealand attack lacking Mitchell McClenaghan and Corey Anderson.
The pair were rested due to apparent injury niggles. Jimmy Neesham got his first match of the series while Kyle Mills returned.
India struggled to force the run rate early, resulting in makeshift opener Virat Kohli skying a judicious Tim Southee use of the short ball to square leg at five for one in the fourth over.
Likewise Ajinkya Rahane was caught hooking to long leg off Kyle Mills in the ninth, leaving India at 22 for two. Southee and Mills deserve credit for their disciplined bowling in the first nine overs.
They rarely erred with half-volleys or by drifting on to the pads. A lack of pace was evident judging by the Indian batsmen getting through shots too quickly and mistiming or offering catches.
The first boundary came in the seventh over from Rohit Sharma, who proved capable of steepling contact even when he miscues.
Still, he needed to progress. Seventeen of his previous 23 balls had been dots.
Taylor dropped a regulation Sharma slips catch to his left off Southee to start the eighth over. Sharma was 14 - he finished on 79.
Taylor might have put it out of his mind had the big screen not played it half a dozen times straight in front of him.
No doubt it was a spur for later.
- Andrew Alderson
