Published: Feb 12, 2013, 01:20 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 12, 2013, 01:20 PM (IST)
Brendon McCullum scored 74 runs in just 38 deliveries © Getty Images
Hamilton: February 12, 2013
New Zealand have posted a challenging target of 193 for England in the second Twenty20 at Hamilton.
Being put into bat first, the Kiwis got off to a flying start courtesy a 75-run partnership between Martin Guptill and Hamish Rutherford. Expected to be a high-scoring match the openers were right on target taking on the English bowlers and scoring at a brisk rate.
All-rounder Luke Wright managed to find the first breakthrough by removing Rutherford for 40 which included three sixes and a solitary boundary. Wright kept a tight leash on the Kiwis from one end. However, runs kept coming from the other end before James Tredwell scalped Guptill for 47.
The Kiwis lost their way a bit from thereon as they couldn’t score freely and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Wright removed Ross Taylor while Jade Dernbach struck twice towards the end of the innings with wickets of Colin Munro and Grant Elliot. Yet, Brendon McCullum was at his explosive best striking a 38-ball 74 to help New Zealand set a challenging total. The New Zealand keeper was particularly harsh on skipper Stuart Broad as he hit three consecutive boundaries in the 14th over and went a step ahead to hit three sixes in the penultimate over of the innings. His innings included five sixes and six boundaries.
New Zealand are trailing 1-0 in the three match Twenty20 series having lost the first match by 40 runs in a high scoring encounter.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 192 for 6 in 20 overs (Brendon McCullum 74, Martin Guptill 47; Luke Wright 2 for 24, Jade Dernbach) vs England
