MOUNT MAUNGANUI: India dropped Will Young twice on 5 and paid a heavy price as he made a career-best 125 to lead New Zealand to 333 Friday as it batted first in the fourth one-day cricket international New Zealand at Bay Oval.
Young was dropped by Rohit Sharma at first slip off Auqib Nabi in the second over of New Zealand's innings and by wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan next ball before going on to make his fifth ODI century, his first against India, from 88 balls.
The right-hander might have been low on confidence after making 6 and 9 in the first two matches of the series and after a recent run of low scores in ODIs in New Zealand.
His footwork was uncertain early and he was beaten outside off stump but when he settled he played down the ground with authority and his century included 11 fours and three sixes. He began cautiously and was the minor partner in a stand of 85 for the first wicket with Tim Seifert, contributing 22 to the partnership while Siefert made 58 from 48 balls.
Young saw New Zealand lose Seifert and newcomers Nick Young (4) and Dean Foxcroft (8) in quick succession, then reestablished New Zealand's command in a partnership of 90 with Finn Allen for the fourth wicket. Allen made 41 from 30 balls in a stand that spanned the 20th to the 30th overs.
New Zealand was 214-3 after 30 overs, set to challenge the record for the highest ODI innings at the Bay Oval of 371. But Allen was brilliantly caught by Rohit Sharma at short cover and Young's innings ended when he holed out to sub fielder Kumar Kushagra in the 37th over.
Michael Bracewell made a brief cameo of 15 from 20 as the India bowlers began to get on top of the New Zealanders for the first time.
New Zealand took a heavy toll on Kuldeep Yadav, playing his first match in the series, who gave up 63 from his first six overs. But Axar Patel bowled superbly through that period and took 2-39 from his 10 overs.
New Zealand was 265-6 after 40 overs, lacking the remaining firepower to fully exploit the benign batting conditions. Mitchell Santner made 24, Kristian Clark 22 and Kyle Jamieson 19 as New Zealand added only 68 from the last 10 overs.
Both teams had lineup changes as a result of players joining their test squads ahead of the first test at Wellington on Thursday.
India had a new captain as Shreyas Iyer took over from Shubman Gill but its success with the toss continued as Iyer won itsr eighth toss from nine matches across the T20 and ODI series and sent New Zealand.
For the first time in this series, Friday's match was played in fine, sunny weather.
Rain affected the first match of the series in Auckland, which India won by five wickets, and the second in Wellington, which India won by four runs to take a 2-0 series lead. The third match in Wellington on Tuesday was washed out without a ball being bowled.