Batting trouble for Kiwis

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New Zealand’s oneday batting frailties have been brutally exposed by England 15 months out from the next World Cup, causing deep concern for coach Mike Hesson.

Three years on from being finalists in the 2015 World Cup, where they lost to Australia in Melbourne, New Zealand are now struggling to get an innings underway as they build towards the next showpiece in May 2019.

England’s 3-2 victory in the just-completed ODI series in New Zealand may suggest a closefought battle, but two of England’s wins were by runaway margins including Saturday’s series decider.

New Zealand’s meagre 223 all out at Hagley Oval in Christchurch was easily overhauled by England with seven wickets remaining and 104 balls to spare.

“Our top order hasn’t set the platform, that’s pretty clear,” Hesson acknowledged yesterday as he reviewed the ruthless way the tourists wrapped up the series.

New Zealand, sent into bat, stumbled to 93/6 as the top order fell with an all-too-familiar regularity before Henry Nicholls and Mitch Santner put some steel in the innings with an 84-run partnership.

In the fourth ODI, New Zealand were 2/2 before Ross Taylor saved the day with his brilliant unbeaten 181.

The best and longest stand by openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro was 12 off 13 deliveries in the third ODI.

By comparison, England progressively improved their opening partnerships from 10 to 15, 25, 77 and then 155 in the decider.

In all five ODI innings against England, New Zealand had to rely on a handful of individual performances to get them through with two centuries by Taylor, one from Kane Williamson and an impressive total of 216 runs by No 8 batsman Santner.

“I think, certainly, as a batting unit we didn’t really fire in terms of the balance we wanted to put out there,” Hesson said.

“We didn’t allow ourselves to use the power we have at the back end, so that’s certainly something we’ll have to look at.” – AFP