Cricket

ODIs, tomorrow/ Friday 8.50pm.

The Black Caps turn back the clock this week with one- day internationals in Mumbai and Pune. The two countries meet in this shortened form of the game in these cities for the first time since November 1995. Both games will be day- night affairs. The last time they were in Mumbai, they lost by six wickets after scoring a paltry 126 and then having Sachin Tendulkar bowled by Danny Morrison for one. It was a similar story a few days earlier in Pune. New Zealand managed 235- 5, of which Chris Cairns scored 103 before the hosts won by five wickets again after Morrison claimed Tendulkar cheaply. The two countries met in their first ODI in June 1975 in England. New Zealand won by four wickets and went on to win the other four ODIs in the 1970s. Their last meeting was memorable for all the wrong reasons. They played in Visakhapatnam on October 29 last year. The Caps were skittled for 79 in 23.1 overs — their shortest ODI innings. Only captain Kane ( 27) got beyond 20 as the hosts claimed the series 3- 2 after going in to the decider locked 2- 2. The third match in the series follows on October 29 in Kanpur.