Showing posts with label BlackCaps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BlackCaps. Show all posts

Friday, 18 March 2016

New Zealand Beat Australia in Twenty20


New Zealand gained partial revenge for defeat in last year’s World Cup final with an eight-run win over Australia in the World Twenty20.

The Black Caps relied on power hitting at both ends of their innings, from Martin Guptill up front and Grant Elliott in the closing overs, to reach 142 for eight.

It looked below par but tight bowling earned them a second successive win as Mitchell McClenaghan, recalled after missing the opening game when a spin-heavy attack skittled India, took three for 17.

Guptill struck two fours and four sixes in an opening stand of 61 with captain Kane Williamson, which ended when Guptill - who hit 39 from 27 balls - hoisted James Faulkner to deep midwicket.

Glenn Maxwell took the catcher and his off-spin accounted for the next two wickets, first Williamson (24) and then Corey Anderson lofting straight down the ground to Ashton Agar in successive Maxwell overs.

Colin Munro produced an array of shots - at one point pulling out of an intended switch-hit over leg to steer the ball right-handed past keeper Peter Nevill for four - but on 23 a big heave at Mitchell Marsh from his regular left-handed stance picked out Faulkner.

Ross Taylor hit Shane Watson for a huge six but chipped the next ball weakly to Marsh at midwicket, but Elliott provided late impetus with 27 from 20 balls before being run out off the final ball of the 20 overs.

Australia also slipped after a strong start, Usman Khawaja and Watson putting on 44 before Watson drove McClenaghan’s slower ball to Williamson at mid-off and new man Steven Smith was stumped, beaten by huge turn from Mitchell Santner.

Khawaja hit six fours in his 38 from 27 balls, but was run out as Adam Milne’s powerful throw from the deep beat his dive. That left Australia 66 for three at halfway and from the very next ball, David Warner swatted Santner straight to Guptill on the leg-side boundary.

Maxwell and Marsh carried the fight and with five overs remaining Australia were 100 for four - one run better than the Beige Brigade had been at the same stage.

Maxwell holed out for 22, though, Williamson holding a steepling catch off Ish Sodhi’s bowling, and Agar was surprisingly promoted ahead of Faulkner to number seven.

He and Marsh each hit sixes in Santner’s last over, the left-armer finishing with two for 30, but Marsh fell to the returning McClenaghan and the left-arm seamer also had Agar well caught by Taylor in a brilliant 19th over.

Australia needed 19 off the last and when key man Faulkner heaved Anderson (two for 29) to long-on and Guptill took a good catch, the game was up as Australia finished on 134 for nine.


Tuesday, 15 March 2016

Black Caps Leave India Dhoni and Dusted


Kane Williamson’s gamble to compromise on speed and pick three specialist spinners paid off as New Zealand humbled hosts India by 47 runs in a spin-dominated Super 10 contest of the World Twenty20 on Tuesday.

Opting to bat first, New Zealand posted 126-7 in the Group Two contest on a prodigiously turning track at Nagpur’s VCA Stadium, seemingly a below-par total against the host nation who are famed for their proficiency against spin bowling.

New Zealand’s three-pronged spin attack, however, ensured it was more than enough as Mitchell Santner (four for 11), Nathan McCullum (two for 15) and the Indian-born Ish Sodhi (three for 18) wrecked the hosts who folded for 79 in 18.1 overs. Williamson said it was not an easy decision to drop the pace duo of Tim Southee and Trent Boult to accommodate the spinners.

“Obviously that was tough, they are world class bowlers,” the Kiwi captain said. “But at the same time we are looking to do the best we can in these conditions. Certainly the spinners paid off today. The wicket spun a lot and they bowled very well on it.”

The first three balls of the match contained the kind of drama and excitement that fans would be expecting from the sixth edition of the tournament in cricket’s emotional and financial home in India.

After Williamson won the toss and decided to set a target, Martin Guptill nonchalantly hit the first delivery from Ravichandran Ashwin over the bowler’s head for a six. The off-spinner settled score in the very next ball, trapping the batsman leg before with a delivery that, replay suggested, would have gone over the stumps.

New man in Colin Munro reverse hit the next ball for a six but threw his wicket in the next over. As wickets kept tumbling at the other end, Corey Anderson (34) tried to steady the innings and it was Luke Ronchi’s (21 not out) 11-ball cameo that took them past the 125-mark. The Indian fans expected the chase to be a stroll in the park but Santner, who was adjudged man-of-the-match, and McCullum had other ideas.

They blew away India’s top order, reducing them to 26-4 in the fifth over to derail their chase. Virat Kohli (23) resisted the onslaught for a while but Sodhi struck a crucial blow with his very first ball to send back the Indian batting mainstay.

Home captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni waged a lone battle with a run-a-ball 30 but the celebrated ‘finisher’ could not get his team over the line.

New Zealand beat India at their own game with their spinners claiming nine of the 10 wickets but Dhoni insisted the defeat was more down to his team’s careless batting.

“It was our batting that let us down,” the home captain said after India’s fifth futile attempt to beat New Zealand in Twenty20 Internationals.

“There were quite a few soft dismissals. It was not like the deliveries got a lot of batsmen out. Maybe it was our shot selection... there was no partnership also,” Dhoni rued.


Saturday, 20 February 2016

Kiwi McCullum Hits Record Ton

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Brendon McCullum has smashed the fastest ever Test ton in his final international match. McCullum reached three figures in 54 balls in Christchurch on Saturday, bettering the previous mark of 56 deliveries held by Viv Richards and Misbah-ul-Haq.

Australia had few answers as McCullum marched to the milestone in 79 minutes. He cracked four sixes and 16 fours to post his second Test ton against Australia. The 34-year-old brought up the record with a fourth consecutive boundary, charging down the wicket and slapping a ball from Josh Hazlewood over the covers.

The knock was all the more astonishing given how much the ball was doing on a lively green pitch, with McCullum walking out after a collapse of 11-3. His only chance came on 39, when Mitch Marsh plucked a one-handed catch at gully. Marsh celebrated wildly but umpires wanted to check for a no-ball, with footage revealing James Pattinson clearly overstepped.

McCullum received a standing ovation from the sold-out crowd at Hagley Oval and was given a guard of honour by Australia when his innings started. The cheering was more thunderous when McCullum celebrated his ton, hugging teammate Corey Anderson.

The outgoing Black Caps skipper eventually fell for 145 from 79 deliveries, departing in much the same style as he’d employed to captivate the Hagley Oval crowd during his whirlwind stay, smashing a catch to Nathan Lyon in the deep off the bowling of a relieved Pattinson.


Wednesday, 3 February 2016

Kiwis Easy Winners at Eden Park

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Matt Henry shrugged off the disappointment of missing out on selection for next month’s World Twenty20 with a hostile spell of pace bowling that helped New Zealand ease to a 159-run win over Australia in the first one-day international on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Henry, who has been regularly overlooked this summer and then brought in as injury cover, took 3-20 in his first four overs at Eden Park as he and Trent Boult reduced the visitors to 41 for six in their pursuit of 308 to win.

They were helped by an lbw decision against David Warner, who was told not to review by partner George Bailey despite the opener’s concerns about the height.

Ball tracking suggested the ball would have gone well over the stumps, causing Warner to slam his bat into his pads as he watched the replay on the big screen.

Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade (37) and all-rounder James Faulkner (36), however, then put on 79 runs to partially resurrect Australia’s innings as they chased New Zealand’s 307-8.

Once Wade holed out at deep midwicket in the 21st over and Faulkner was bowled by Adam Milne in the 22nd, the match was all but over and they were bowled out for 148 in just 24.2 overs.

Henry finished with 3-41, while Boult had 3-38. Mitchell Santner bowled just two balls and took the last two wickets.

Martin Guptill top scored for New Zealand with 90, his highest total against Australia and his 29th one-day international half century.

The 29-year-old opener, who hit one of his five sixes onto the roof of the stand at the Auckland venue, shared in partnerships of 79 runs with captain Brendon McCullum (44) and 100 with Henry Nicholls (61).

New Zealand, who were asked to bat by Australia captain Steve Smith, had initially looked on course to set a total well in excess of 320 but lost wickets at critical times when batsmen looked set to push on.

John Hastings was the most economical of the visiting bowlers with 1-39 from 10 overs, while fifth seamer Mitchell Marsh had figures of 2-35 from seven.

The three-match one-day international series moves on to Wellington on Saturday with the sides also scheduled to play two Tests.


Monday, 25 January 2016

Kiwi McClenaghan Struck in Face


New Zealand tailender Mitchell McClenaghan collapsed on the pitch after a bouncer crashed through his grille during a one-day international against Pakistan. McClenaghan suffered facial injuries after being struck in the face.

Facing Pakistani quick Anwar Ali on the penultimate ball of New Zealand's innings, McClenaghan was sent to the turf after missing a hook shot.

Lucky escape: Mitchell McClenaghan leaves the field with an injured eye after being struck by a bouncer.

Lucky escape: Mitchell McClenaghan leaves the field with an injured eye after being struck by a bouncer. Photo: Hagen Hopkins

The ball ricocheted off the underside of the peak of his helmet and smashed into his eye before becoming lodged inside the grille.

The force was so powerful that part of the grille was sent flying onto the pitch and his eye immediately began to swell.

Fortunately, the fast bowler was able to get to his feet and left the field to cheers from the Basin Reserve crowd after retiring hurt for a much-needed 31 off 18 deliveries.

McClenaghan needed stitches near his left eye after the ball smashed into his face.

McClenaghan needed stitches near his left eye after the ball smashed into his face. Photo: Sky News

He soon received stitches near his left eye, but didn't initially appear for New Zealand's bowling effort as he was being treated at a nearby hospital, with Adam Milne substituting him on the field.

His innings played a big part in getting the Black Caps out of trouble after Pakistan sent them into bat.

The home team was reeling at 99-6 before crucial knocks from Henry Nicholls (82), Mitchell Santner (48), Matt Henry (48*) and McClenaghan helped them through to 280-8.


Monday, 15 October 2012

Former NZ Captain Crowe Faces Illness

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Former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe has been diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system.

The 50-year-old played 77 Tests, including 16 as captain, and 143 one-day internationals for New Zealand between 1982 and 1995.

"The diagnosis is very new," said his manager Louise Henderson.

"The family is still in shock and dealing with the understanding that life as they know it for the unforeseeable future is different."

She added: "They have a number of issues to confront over the next couple of weeks."

Crowe and elder brother Jeff, who also captained the Kiwis at Test level, are cousins of Hollywood actor Russell Crowe.

Martin Crowe was named as one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1985, and his 299 against Sri Lanka in 1991 remains the highest Test score by a New Zealand player.

A powerful right-handed batsman who scored 5,444 Test runs and almost 20,000 in first-class cricket, Crowe also had a spell with English county side Somerset between 1984 and 1988.

He made an unsuccessful attempt to return to the first-class game in 2011.

Factfile
Tests: 77 matches
Runs: 5,444
Highest score: 299
Average: 45.36
ODIs: 143 matches
Runs: 4,704
Highest score: 107 not out
Average: 38.55



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Monday, 30 July 2012

Windies Win First NZ test in Antigua


A five-wicket haul from Kemar Roach helped West Indies claim a nine-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first Test in Antigua.

The pace bowler had figures of 5-60 as he combined with Ravi Rampaul to trigger a New Zealand collapse on the final day of the contest.

The Black Caps looked in good shape to secure a draw but capitulated from 217-3 to 272 all out in their second innings, before a rapid 64 from opener Chris Gayle helped the hosts chase down a target of 102.

New Zealand resumed on a flat pitch on 199-3 and negotiated the opening exchanges before Roach made the breakthrough as he snared captain Ross Taylor lbw for 21.

Kane Williamson then played down the wrong line and was bowled in Roach's next over for a duck, before a stubborn Neil Wagner was caught behind off the same bowler after making 13 from 103 balls.

Dean Brownlie (five) then edged to Gayle at slip off Rampaul, who also had Daniel Vettori caught behind for 13.

Doug Bracewell was then trapped in front for a duck by a quicker, straighter ball from spinner Sunil Narine.

Kruger an Wyk (30) was last man out when he charged down the pitch, only to be cleaned up to hand Roach his fifth wicket.

And the Windies did not buckle under the pressure of chasing a first Test win since October, with Gayle and opening partner Kieran Powell wasting no time as they put on a stand of 77 in under 14 overs.

New Zealand made the breakthrough when Powell (30) could only hammer a short Bracewell delivery to Brownlie at backward point.

But it proved to be a consolation wicket with Gayle, competing in his first Test in 18 months, bringing up his half-century off just 42 deliveries by guiding Wagner past mid-off for four.

He finished on an unbeaten on 64 to cap a memorable return to five-day cricket, while Assad Fudadin (seven not out) struck the winning run in the 20th over.


Saturday, 24 March 2012

Kiwi Rain Ruins Petersen Century


Alviro Petersen closed in on a century as rain ruined the second day of the final Test between New Zealand and South Africa in Wellington.

Petersen, searching his third Test ton, reached the close on 96 not out on a day when less than 40 overs play was possible.

Rain denied the touring batsman a chance to add to their 136-2 during the morning session, with the sparse crowd at Basin Reserve spending time looking for cover.

Play eventually got underway after 2pm and Petersen secured his half-century with a boundary in the third over.

Third wicket partner JP Duminy (76no) was the more attacking player, going to his fourth Test 50 off 80 balls as their stand built nicely.

Petersen sped up as the day went on, giving only one chance when as an edge off Doug Bracewell flashed just past Martin Guptill in the slips.

But he remained in place when bad light brought a premature end to play, his innings so far having included 12 fours and a six - he has faced 224 balls.