No mercy from Black Caps
Which Colin wants this one?
Be it opener Colin Munro or allrounder Colin de Grandhomme, the pair have hogged the batting headlines in New Zealand’s 11-match winning streak and another blitzkrieg at Wellington’s Basin Reserve today could well snuff out Pakistan’s resolve.
Sarfraz Ahmed’s side are just clinging on as it is, 4-0 down after de Grandhomme’s matchwinning whirlwind in Hamilton, and face losing their 10th successive oneday international against the Black Caps in New Zealand, stretching back to 2011.
Victory for New Zealand in the fifth ODI will clinch another series whitewash and equal the 12 successive home wins across the formats they achieved last summer against Pakistan, Bangladesh and Australia.
‘‘I think everyone wants that: the team, the support staff and
people around the country want to see us beat Pakistan 5-0. The motivation is definitely there,’’ said opener Martin Guptill of the ‘dead rubber’ match.
Tuesday’s contest was in the balance in Hamilton with New Zealand five down and de Grandhomme striding to the crease in his first international innings since the second test against West Indies.
After he monstered five sixes, some of them a throwback to Lance Cairns with a hint more craftsmanship, the Black Caps were home by five wickets with 25 balls to spare. De Grandhomme was 74 not out off 40 balls, his highest score in his 13th ODI.
It’s little over six weeks since de Grandhomme sent the red Kookaburra flying onto the Basin hill in his 71-ball test century against West Indies, the second-fastest by a New Zealander. In that time he’s gone from handy hitter to indispensable matchwinner, with the self-belief that opposing sides dread.
‘‘With players like Colin and the power they have, they can be hit and miss at times. He would have got a lot of confidence getting that test hundred against West Indies out here. He’s been threatening to do that for a long time and to do it in a pressure situation speaks volumes for the way he’s come on as an international cricketer.’’
Guptill himself is well accustomed to being flavour of the month in white ball cricket and 10 months ago played one of New Zealand’s best ODI innings: 180 against South Africa in Hamilton.
At the same venue on Tuesday he struggled to find the gaps in his 31 off 49 balls and holed out to longon off the googly from Shadab Khan. Still he’s averaging 70 for the series at a strike rate of 83.
‘‘It’s a tough one. I haven’t been as free-flowing as I have in previous seasons but that’s going to come. It’ll take a bit of time.
‘‘I’m still feeling pretty good with the bat and we’re getting some good starts with Colin and if there’s an early wicket there’s been a nice rebuilding phase. We’re going well collectively as a team.’’
That’s the thing with these Black Caps who are proving unbeatable at home. They’ve taken charge early with bat or ball, got ahead of the game and different players have stood up when required like de Grandhomme and the busy Henry Nicholls on
Tuesday.
Nicholls and Kane Williamson consolidated after a rapid start from Guptill and Munro gave them breathing space, setting it up for some power hitting to finish.
Seamer Matt Henry looks set for his first bowl of the series for a rested Trent Boult. The Wellington forecast is for early rain to clear at the scene of their 61-run win in game one.
And Pakistan? ‘‘They’ve still got the passion to produce a good performance. They were very good in Hamilton the other day and it took a pretty good innings from Colin to take the game away from them. They’re certainly not down and out, they play it hard and they came out the other day really wanting to win. We don’t expect anything less tomorrow,’’ Guptill said.