Ross roasts India bowlers as NZ cruise

1ST ODI Kiwi star’s ton helps hosts chase down mammoth 348-run target in opener, Shreyas Iyer’s century goes in vain

HAMILTON: S hr e y a s Iyer’s maiden 50-over hundred was eclipsed by veteran Ross Taylor’s assault on Indian bowlers as New Zealand held nerves to chase down their biggest ever target for a four-wicket triumph in the first ODI here on Wednesday.

Iyer showed just why he is considered the next big thing in Indian cricket by scoring 103 off 107 balls.

But Taylor, with his unbeaten 109 off 84 balls, helped New Zealand overhaul the 348run target in 48.1 overs for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

With his 10 fours and four maximums, Taylor aggress i v e l y t o o k o n t h e muchvaunted Indian bowling attack. The visiting bowlers will, in fact, have quite a lot to ponder over after failing to defend the massive total.

The triumph is a shot in the arm for the embattled side, which was whitewashed 0-5 in the T20 series.

It was Taylor’s 21st ODI hundred, while stand-in skipper Tom Latham scored 69 off 48 balls as their 138-run partnership drove the Black Caps’ highest run-chase i n one-day cricket.

Henry Nicholls also contributed 78 off 82 balls.

Earlier, Iyer’s effort was complimented quite well by the in-form KL Rahul, who smacked 88 not out off only 64 balls. Skipper Virat Kohli also scored 51.

New Zealand got off to a great start with openers Martin Guptill (32) and Nicholls putting on 85.

Guptill was the first to go, and then debutant Tom Blundell (9) was stumped off Kuldeep Yadav (2-84) who was taken for runs throughout his spell.

It began with the arrival of Taylor at the crease as he put on 62 runs for the third wicket with Nicholls.

Indian bowlers sent down 29 extras, made worse by poor fielding.

The turning point came early when Yadav dropped Taylor (on 10 not out) in the 23rd over off Ravindra Jadeja (0-64).

LATHAM STORM

India struggled to get the breakt hrough and had t o rely on Kohli’s superb fielding to run out Nicholls in the 29th over. By that point, New Zealand had