Guptill delivers knockout blows
The Black Caps have extended their winning streak to nine games across all formats after Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor guided them past a revised total of 151, in a rain-disrupted second one-day international against Pakistan.
After a two-hour wait in the
pavilion as rain fell throughout the afternoon at Saxton Oval in Nelson yesterday, Guptill and Taylor were eventually given the green light to return to the crease, requiring 87 runs in 11 overs for victory. They ended up winning comfortably by eight wickets with seven balls to spare.
Play had been brought to a halt at 4.20pm with the Black Caps pacing along at 64-2 despite losing in-form opener Colin Munro for a duck and skipper Kane Williamson for 19.
The game was evenly poised when Guptill and Taylor ran for shelter in the 14th over but the experienced pair made a mockery of the run chase, with Guptill reaching his 33rd half century in a game-high 87 from 72 while Taylor chipped in with 44.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Pakistan were put under immediate pressure by Trent Boult and Tim Southee but a late flurry from two of their tail-enders saw the visitors finish chalk up a respectable total of 246-9.
Pakistan were without injured Fakhar Zaman, who scored 82 not out in the first match at the Basin Reserve, and the talented opener’s absence was certainly felt early on as Fakhar’s replacement, Imam ulHaq, was caught for two, while fellow opener Azhar Ali soon followed his team-mate when he was dismissed for six.
Veteran allrounder Mohammad Hafeez (60 from 71) offered some much-needed resistance in the middle of the order before Hasan Ali (51 from 31) and Shadab Khan (52 from 68) combined for a blistering 70-run partnership as Pakistan raced through to 246 - an under par total but one they would have backed themselves to defend.
Hasan survived a blow on the chin from a fierce Lockie Ferguson delivery to reach his maiden half century remarkable, while Shadab capped off a superb day’s work by taking a ripper of a catch to dismiss Williamson.
Although every New Zealand bowler except Munro took at least one wicket, Ferguson was clear standout, the Black Caps’ quick ending up with the decent figures of 3-39.
Attention now turns to University Oval in Dunedin where allrounder Colin de Grandhomme will rejoin the Black Caps for game three after he was granted leave following the sudden death of his father, Laurence, in Zimbabwe last month. He will replace George Worker in the only change.