Published: Jan 25, 2016, 11:36 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 25, 2016, 11:37 AM (IST)
New Zealand have cruised to an easy victory over Pakistan in the first One-Day International (ODI) of the three-match series at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Pakistan had their moments of domination but failed to optimise those opportunities. Grant Elliott was the unlikely star for New Zealand even as they took field without one mainstream bowler. Mitchell McClenaghan was felled by a bouncer in the first innings while bowling and was off to receive stitches above his eye where the ball made impact between the grille and peak. Elliott picked three top-order wickets. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: New Zealand vs Paksitan 2015-16, 1st ODI at Wellington
New Zealand started off economically but wickets were not to come by in the initial overs and there was the fear that the Pakistan batsmen would explode later if they had wickets in hand. Trent Boult and Matt Henry remained ineffective in terms of making a breakthrough. That first wicket was finally achieved by Elliott as he dismissed Azhar Ali with an off-cutter. FULL CRICKET UPDATES: New Zealand vs Paksitan 2015-16, 1st ODI at Wellington
Elliott was not quite done there. He bowled a good mix of deliveries using the off cutter in abundance with his gentle pace. He even got some prodigious outswing going. He soon was paid another wicket for his hard work with Ahmed Shehzad losing his wicket to him.
Mohammad Hafeez and Babar Azam were then involved in what was evolving into a potentially match-changing partnership and that is when Kane Williamson decided to bowl himself and did a fine job off it. He got rid of Hafeez for 42 and that is when the match was well and truly poised in New Zealand’s favour.
Elliott came back to dismiss Sohaib Maqsood and that was the last of his invaluable wickets. Azam was playing a fine knock and he was the only obstacle between New Zealand and a big win. Anderson removed him with a nagging back-of-a-length delivery which the batsmen played a mistimed pull to. He was caught at deep midwicket.
Pakistan then lost wickets in a pile. Mitchell Santner got rid of Imad Wasim. Boult, who had failed to take a wicket in his opening spell, gave another glimpse of why he is number one by cleaning up the lower order in the span of his next two overs. He removed Sarfraz Ahmed for a 29-ball 30, Anwar Ali for 16 and got both Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Irfan for ducks, to bowl out Pakistan for 210.
New Zealand’s win is truly commendable owing to the fact that they were one specialist bowler short. One hopes that McClenaghan has a speedy recovery.
Earlier Pakistan had New Zealand on the mat at 99 for 6 in the 23rd over. But, as has become habitual for the Kiwis, a middle order batsman stood up and the lower order rallied around him to stage a big comeback. Henry Nicholls was the star this time scoring a composed 82. Santner scored 48 in a reviving partnership with him.
The tail played more than it’s part in the Kiwi revival. Matt Henry smashed an unbeaten 30-ball 48. McClenaghan scored an unbeaten 18-ball 31 before getting struck by the bouncer by Anwar Ali and was rushed out. Boult faced just one delivery but got an edge for four which took New Zealand’s total to a commanding 280 for 8 in 50 overs
Brief scores:
New Zealand 280 for 8 in 50 overs (Henry Nicholls 82, Matt Henry 48*; Aamer 3 for 28) beat Pakistan 210 in 46 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 42, Babar Azam 62; Trent Boult 4 for 40, Grant Elliott 3 for 43) by 70 runs.
