Published: Jun 17, 2015, 10:17 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 18, 2015, 03:43 AM (IST)
Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson and Grant Elliot — three New Zealand batsmen scored half-centuries and Mitchell Santner played a cameo of 44 off 19, as the visitors set a huge target of 350 to win for England in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. This is a do or die game for England as they are currently trailing the five match series 1-2. Live Updates: England vs New Zealand 2015, 4th ODI at Trent Bridge
New Zealand started the innings really well after their skipper Brendon McCullum won an important toss and decided to bat first. Both teams were unchanged for this crucial encounter. The Kiwi openers, McCullum and Martin Guptill put up 88-run partnership for the first wicket. The pitch was quite flat and English bowlers failed to get anything out of the deck. So they changed their strategy and bowled wicket to wicket. David Willey and Steven Finn bowled straight and didn’t allow New Zealand batters to get away with the game. But still the Kiwis scored 64 runs in first 10 overs, which showed their dominance in the initial overs. Live Scorecard: England vs New Zealand 2015, 4th ODI at Trent Bridge
England got the first breakthrough, when an aggressive looking McCullum got out, caught behind to Mark Wood in the 14th over. Though that wicket didn’t stop the run flow as Guptill looked very solid on the other end. He took minimum of chances with maximum results. The stylish Kiwi opener scored his 24th ODI fifty and was looking very dangerous, when he misread a slow ball of Ben Stokes and Finn took an excellent running catch in the deep mid wicket region.
At 116 for two in the 19th over, Ross Taylor joined Williamson and took control of the innings, like they did in the 3rd ODI. This ever reliable partnership again came good. Williamson scored his third fifty on a trot. He along with Taylor produced 101 runs for the third wicket in 95 ball. Both right handers kept the the scoreboard going in the middle overs.
Though there was set pair of batters at the crease, but the England bowlers bowled quite well in the middle overs. Especially Finn ans Mark Wood bowled brilliantly. Both finished with economical figures in this high scoring innings. Finn broke the partnership between Williamson and Taylor, with the wicket of Taylor. Williamson was also dismissed soon, missed his ton by just 10 runs. England dropped quite a few catches, it didn’t help their cause at all.
Later in the innings Elliot and Santner gave the finishing touches to the New Zealand innings. Santner punished Adil Rashid for 28 runs in the 48th over. But Eoin Morgan trusted Rashid to bowl the last over and he did a commendable job.
This has been a high scoring series so far. So New Zealand should not count out England yet. The target of 350 is quite stiff, but couple of inspired knocks can do the job for the hosts.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand 349 for 7 in 50 overs (Martin Guptill 53, Kane Williamson 90, Grant Elliot 55*; David Willey 2 for 89, Ben Stokes 2 for 73) vs England
