NZ stay on straight course to series win
Guptill’s out with hamstring tightness as both teams are forced to adjust in Napier
The contrast from Eden Park’s short, straight boundaries to McLean Park’s short, square perimeter will require the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy combatants to recalibrate their bowling plans in tomorrow’s second ODI cricket match.
After absorbing Marcus Stoinis’ unbeaten 146 and triumphing by six runs on Monday night in Auckland, New Zealand are on the cusp of wresting back the trophy from Australia.
Black Caps coach Mike Hesson was asked if he had concerns about the strength of his side’s bowling in the wake of Stoinis’ display.
“We’ve just beaten the No 1 side in the world, so we’re going okay,” he quipped.
“Eden Park is a difficult ground to defend. If you want 100 runs off 10 overs anywhere in the world, it’s probably Eden Park. We certainly got hit to areas we didn’t want to, but McLean Park is different again.”
Hesson deadpanned that their strategy should be to repeat what they did too much at the Auckland venue — bowling full and straight rather than full and wide.
“At McLean Park that’s probably where we want to get hit [straight].”
Before the first ODI, Stoinis averaged 25.45 with one century and a strike rate of 70 in 38 List A matches. That Clark Kent record morphed into one of the great chasing innings in his second ODI.
“I don’t think anyone expected him to play like Superman,” Hesson said. “He hadn’t had any significant innings of international cricket, and didn’t have a great Big Bash. We knew what he was capable of from the IPL
We’ve just beaten the No 1 side in the world, so we’re going okay. Black Caps coach Mike Hesson
[Indian Premier League] and past BBLs, but perhaps not to that degree.”
Seeking consecutive wins against Australia was complicated by the decision to rest Martin Guptill as a precaution at Napier, after he felt tightness in his left hamstring while fielding in Auckland.
“He’ll remain with the team and we’ll continue to monitor him ahead of the third ODI,” Hesson said.
Guptill’s innings of 61 from 73 balls proved a key building block at Eden Park.
He has been pivotal to New Zealand’s chances in Chappell-Hadlee contests since last summer, averaging 62 from seven innings with a strike rate of 101 and never scoring less than 31.
The injury is not believed to be an aggravation of the strain he suffered to the same hamstring during the third one-day international against Bangladesh on New Year’s Eve.
Northern Districts batsman Dean Brownlie has been recalled. He has scored 203 runs from five innings at an average of 50.75 and strike rate of 70 in the Ford Trophy.
Brownlie looks set to open with Tom Latham, unless New Zealand opt for a radical rejig by pushing an all-rounder such as Jimmy Neesham or Colin Munro up the order and bringing Colin de Grandhomme into the XI.