Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked up a career-best 12 wickets as India crushed New Zealand by an innings and 115 runs within four days in the opening cricket test in Hyderabad yesterday. Ashwin's six for 54, his second six-wicket haul in the match, and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha's three for 48 bundled the visitors out for 164 in their second innings, giving India a 1-0 lead in the two-test series. The 25-year-old Ashwin, who took six for 31 in New Zealand's first innings, grabbed 12 wickets for 85 runs in the match, the best by an Indian bowler against New Zealand in a test. New Zealand captain Ross Taylor, who was clean bowled trying to shoulder arms to Ashwin, said the team needed to find a way to handle the off-spinner better. "We could not put enough pressure on the Indian bowling line-up. We need to learn how to play Ashwin and ... play him a lot better," Taylor said. "We will be a lot better side come Bangalore." The second test begins on Friday. Reuters

Scotland's Paul Lawrie celebrated official confirmation of his return to the European Ryder Cup team with a resounding four-shot victory in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles yesterday. Lawrie, 43, shot a final round 68 for his second Tour victory this year and the eighth of his career. Australia's Brett Rumford shot a 68 for second place on a 12-under-par tally on the PGA Centenary course. Holland's Maarten Lafeber (69), France's Romain Wattel (72) and Sweden's Fredrik Anderssen-Hed (65) shared third place on 11 under par. AFP