Heavy defeat for Black Caps
Latham praises team’s character and effort
All out for 62. All out for 167. A loss to India by 372 runs – the Black Caps’ heaviest defeat by runs in a match where their opponents batted twice.
Not that the hosts needed to, having amassed 325 the first time around, which would have been enough on its own for them to win by 96.
Ajaz Patel was responsible for 73.5 of the 179.5 overs sent down by the New Zealand bowlers over the course of three and a bit days at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He took 14-225 in the match, including 10-119 in India’s first innings, joining England’s Jim Laker and India’s Anil Kumble in achieving that remarkable feat.
The left-arm spinner was certainly someone Tom Latham was referring to when he sat in the post-match press conference as the stand-in captain – filling in for Kane Williamson, who missed the match while nursing his problematic elbow – and said he was pleased with the team’s character and the effort they’d put in.
‘‘Obviously when you get bowled out for 60 in your first innings, it puts you behind the eight-ball, but something that we’ve talked about is the character in the group, and trying to have a presence and trying to put in as much effort as you can. I think we’ve certainly done that over the last four days.’’
The bowling unit certainly gave it their all once they returned to the field after less than three hours’ rest on day two, but it fell to
Patel and fifth-option Rachin Ravindra, who began the match battling illness, to take wickets in what was, by then, a largely meaningless effort. The omission of Neil Wager and the decision to continue with Will Somerville, who looked toothless across both matches, is sure to come in for further examination.
With the bat, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, and Ravindra played innings of relative substance as the Black Caps lasted twice as long in their second innings (56.3 overs) than they did in their first (28.1). Mitchell made
60 off 92 balls, Nicholls 44 off 11, Young 20 off 42, and Ravindra 18 off 50.
When the Black Caps began their second innings, just before tea on day three on Sunday, only the most miraculous of miracles was going to prevent an Indian win, but there was pride and respect to be gained from taking the match as deep as possible.
It ultimately ended in the first hour on day four, as the challenge of resisting India’s spinners in favourable conditions proved beyond the world champions – just as it has for most teams this century.
New Zealand’s search for a first win in India since 1988 and a first series win there ever goes on.
‘‘In these conditions you can’t just allow them to bowl,’’ Latham said as he explained their second innings game plan. ‘‘They’re very good and very accurate, and they don’t give you much to hit. For us, it was about trying to put a little bit more pressure on them to get a few more fielders away from the bat. It was about guys having a certain plan and being able to stick to that and unfortunately if you have your plan, and you get out, that’s just the game we play, that’s cricket.’’
Mitchell probably attacked the bowling the best of the Black Caps in their second innings, but he was out playing one aggressive shot too many. He at least faced almost 100 balls while at the crease, which was more than could be said of Ross Taylor, by far the senior figure in the lineup, whose brief stay ended after eight when he slogswept Ravichandran Ashwin and gave Cheteshwar Pujara a simple catch. Aside from Patel’s historic efforts with the ball in Mumbai, which will be somewhat of a footnote in the wake of the final result, a silver lining from this tour was the efforts of Mitchell, Young, and Ravindra – a key figure in the firstmatch draw – who showed in the absence of Williamson and fellow injured batsman Devon Conway – two big losses – that there is a bit of batting depth.
The Black Caps are due to arrive back in New Zealand later this week and will have a short period of rest before their home season starts with the first of two tests against Bangladesh at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, starting on New Year’s Day.