Pressure name of the game
PRESSURE is on the minds of both camps at the Bay Oval today.
On Wednesday it was India that applied it and New Zealand that crumbled under it.
Heading into a soldout second oneday international in Mount Maunganui, the Black Caps are keen to reverse that.
With the bat it must limit the early wickets, which fell thick and fast in Napier.
With the ball, keeping the run rate low will build pressure.
Wickets are key as well and,
after admitting the side was ‘‘severely outplayed’’, opener bowler Trent Boult said they were a focus.
‘‘We know that early wickets in this format kind of kill you.
‘‘It’s about batting in partnerships and taking the game deep so we can really cash in in those later overs.
‘‘As a bowling unit, we’re trying to disrupt their top order to put pressure on their middle order — so it’s probably their secret as well.
‘‘If we can get three wickets in the first 10 overs, we know what pressure that puts on the rest of the team in the shed.’’
He said the batsmen were looking to ‘‘right a few wrongs’’ and set a solid platform after Wednesday’s collapse.
Kane Williamson’s 64 was the only meaningful contribution, while Ross Taylor was the only other to surpass 20 in the total of 157.
On the other hand, Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan made things look relatively easy.
His 75 not out helped him bring up 5000 ODI runs, although it was pressure on both sides of the game he mentioned as being key too.
A good start from India had put New Zealand under pressure and Dhawan said that was key to restraining it on a good batting pitch.
From a personal perspective, his opening partnership with Rohit Sharma was about building early pressure too.
‘‘It’s very good. We have been playing for a long time,’’ he said of the partnership.
‘‘So it’s a normal thing for us; we enjoy it.
‘‘It’s good that with him we rotate the strike very well.
‘‘That is one thing which keeps the pressure on.’’
Hopes had been high for the Black Caps heading into the series, having come off a series win against Sri Lanka.
However, the Indians showed they are a significant step up in quality.
Today’s match shapes as crucial for the Black Caps.
A loss would leave them needing to win the final three games to take the series.
Alrounder Hardik Pandya is set to link with the Indian side.
He had been suspended, alongside batsman KL Rahul, following remarks deemed as sexist two weeks ago, during the team’s tour of Australia. The bans were lifted yesterday by the BCCI.
Rahul will join India A in its series against the England Lions.
CARY, NORTH CAROLINA: An astonishing day two of the first test ended with the West Indies in a strong position against England, 339 runs ahead in their second innings with four wickets remaining in Barbados yesterday.
Eighteen wickets fell on a Kensington Oval pitch that, despite the carnage, seemed quite decent for batting, as England was bowled out for 77, the lowest test score in Bridgetown.
Kemar Roach was the chief destroyer, ripping through the batting lineup and taking five for 17 off 11 fiery overs as England crumbled to its fourthlowest total in a test against West Indies.
Roach headed a fourpronged Windies bowling attack that turned back the clock with scenes reminiscent of the halcyon days of the 1970s, when the likes of Andy Roberts and Joel Garner regularly terrorised the world’s best batsmen.
Roach was well supported by captain Jason Holder (two for 15), Alzarri Joseph (two for 20) and Shannon Gabriel (one for 15), all getting plenty of bounce and enough movement to tie the batsmen in knots.
Holder picked up the prized scalp of Joe Root with a magnificent delivery that nipped in and trapped the England captain lbw for four.
The West Indies, who did not enforce the followon, enjoyed a 212run lead, a most unlikely scenario after being all out for 289 earlier in the day.
But a day of unlikely swings was not done as the Windies then lost five wickets for only nine runs after an uneventful halfcentury second innings opening partnership between Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell.
England spinner Mooen Ali picked up three quick scalps in an outstanding spell that suggested the pitch also offers something for the slow bowlers, while paceman Ben Stokes chimed in with a pair of wickets.
At 61 for five, England was suddenly back in the match, but there was another twist to come as Shimron Hetmyer and Shane Dowrich steadied the ship with a partnership of 59.
With stumps looming, the impressive Hetmyer was out for 31, caught at point off mediumpacer Sam Curran.
The West Indies were 127 for six at stumps, with Dowrich on 27 and Holder on seven.
Earlier, the home team lost its final six wickets for 49 in its first innings.
Pace bowler James Anderson equalled Ian Botham’s England record when he took his 27th fivewicket haul.
He picked up one more scalp yesterday — tailender Joseph for a duck — as the Windies added 25 runs to their overnight total, and England took nearly an hour to mop up the final two wickets.
Anderson finished with five for 46 off 30 tight overs, while Stokes chipped in with four for 59.
Hetmyer was the last man out, caught behind off Stokes going for an agricultural slog.
Hetmyer, who will play for Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League which starts in March, topscored with an impressive, hardhitting 81 off 109 balls.
The teams are playing a threetest series in the Caribbean.