04 December,2010 01:15 PM IST | | Agencies
India restricted New Zealand to 224-9 in the third one-day international in Vadodara on Saturday despite an unbeaten 72-run knock by James Franklin.
The left-handed batsman hit five fours and a six in his 108-ball innings and added 94 runs for the eighth wicket with Nathan McCullum (43) to lift New Zealand from a shaky 106-7.
Left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan (2-31) gave India a flying start by picking two wickets inside the first 11 overs after skipper Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to field at the Reliance Stadium.
India lead the five-match series 2-0, having won the first two games in Guwahati and Jaipur.
New Zealand batsmen struggled in early morning conditions with half of the side back in the pavilion with just 77 runs on the board.
Zaheer, playing his first game of the series, dismissed Brendon McCullum off the second ball of the innings when the opener edged tamely to Murali Vijay at second slip.
The in-form Martin Guptill (12) was run out following a direct hit from Gambhir before Zaheer returned to have Taylor caught by Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps.
Yuvraj Singh snapped up a sharp, low catch to send back Scott Styris (22) while Pathan claimed the wickets of Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori and Gareth Hopkins in successive overs to reduce the visitors to 106-7 by the 30th over.
Franklin then joined hands with Nathan McCullum to help the Kiwis add 68 valuable runs in the last 10 overs.
New Zealand made two changes to the side, bringing in Brendon McCullum for Jamie How and Franklin for Tim Southee.
India brought in Zaheer in place of Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Ravindra Jadeja for Suresh Raina.
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