Black Caps blow Pakistan off the park
The sound of the southerly gale howling down Adelaide Rd, and Pakistan’s high-flying cricketers thudding back to earth, echoed in equal measures at Wellington’s Basin Reserve yesterday.
A confident New Zealand, lifted by another Kane Williamson batting masterclass, dispatched Pakistan by 61 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method in game one to take a stranglehold on the five-match oneday international series.
Pakistan arrived on a nine-ODI winning streak including the Champions Trophy final against India in June, but were blown off the park, almost literally. The ‘zing’ bails certainly were, and the umpires removed them for most of New Zealand’s innings due to the wind.
It didn’t slow the hosts down. After Colin Munro cracked 58 off 35 balls and Williamson crafted his 10th ODI century, New Zealand never let up as they posted a ground record total of 315-7. The visiting batsmen hardly fired a shot, except opener Fakhar Zaman with 82 not out, and were well behind at 166-6 in the 31st over when rain swept in.
It was a familiar tale for Pakistan, who have now lost six straight ODIs against the Black Caps in New Zealand stretching back to 2011. Despite their dream 2017 they hadn’t played an international since sweeping Sri Lanka in October and, after one warmup game, struck a red-hot New Zealand side who relished the bouncy Basin.
Nelson will provide a warmer welcome for the tourists on Tuesday but New Zealand are at microscopic odds to close out this series.
No team had ever been set more than 300 to win a Basin ODI but Pakistan’s powerful top-six should have done much better on a decent batting surface. The chase was essentially over in the first, well, over, when Tim Southee struck twice in controversial circumstances.
Azhar Ali challenged his lbw decision that looked leg side but replays showed was OK. Then the big one, world No 4-ranked Babar Azam, was trapped on the back foot by Southee first ball. It looked high, and ball tracker later confirmed it, but Sri Lankan umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge fired Babar immediately and with Azhar having used their one decision review he was gone.
Fakhar arrived with an average of 44 and wins in all nine of his career
ODIs. He rode out the storm and showed his sharp eye and fast hands, twice hoisting Mitchell Santner into the crowd, but it was a lone hand from the impressive leftie.
Wickets tumbled at the other end and at 54-5 when Todd Astle trapped captain Sarfraz Ahmed in front it was all academic. With Southee 3-22 in his seventh over, drizzle settled in and the crowd of 4829 began filing out early, warmed by a polished display from the men in black.
Williamson scored a solitary ODI century in 2017 and matched that in his first ODI knock of the year, chalking up his 10th ton.
Remarkably it was just the third ODI century at the Basin and second by a Kiwi, 43 years after Bevan Congdon’s 101 against England.
Williamson arrived with a solid platform after Munro and Martin Guptill (48) rattled up 83 off 12.3 overs. Munro continued his roll, clearing the long boundaries twice before he was nicked off by Hasan Ali.
Hasan (3-61) showed glimpses of class and a fiery temperament, sending Munro on his way and skittling Ross Taylor with a ripper that jagged back.
Williamson had one let-off on 26 when Sarfraz should have held a thick edge to one glove, and never looked back. He ticked over at a run a ball, showed his twinkling feet to clear mid-on and just milked the quicks behind point.
A 59-ball half-century became a 106-ball hundred, cutting Hasan to the pickets and bringing the crowd to their feet.
Henry Nicholls was busy and purposeful in his 50 off 43 balls, showing his ability as a finisher and launching them past Australia’s ground record of 297-6, set 20 years ago.