Guptill back in business
Open for business. Finally.
The two most-discussed batting spots in New Zealand’s oneday international order may not be that way for much longer, after Martin Guptill ushered in an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh in Napier last night.
Guptill, returning from a back injury after six successive ODI scores of 15 or under, showed class is permanent with an unbeaten 117 in the series opener at McLean Park. It was his 15th ODI century, and with Ross Taylor (45 not out) chiming in late, the Black Caps chased down their target of 233 in the 45th over.
With Henry Nicholls (53) in his and Guptill’s second opening partnership they set it up with a
103-run stand, inflicting Bangladesh’s 11th defeat from as many ODIs against the Black Caps in New Zealand.
The sun even played ball, its arc just low enough three weeks on from the India sunstrike debacle ensuring no stoppage in the shadows. After a Napier sellout against the big drawcards, this one drew a painfully small turnout on a stunning afternoon.
It was 16 ODIs since any Black Caps opening pair had put on 50 – Guptill and Colin Munro’s 52 against Pakistan in Wellington 13 months ago.
No wonder there was some angst, as Munro was dropped amid a lean ODI trot and Nicholls elevated to the spot where he averaged 76 for Canterbury in the
2014-15 Ford Trophy.
There were minimal fireworks with Guptill needing confidenceboosting runs and Nicholls out to prove he’s a viable World Cup option.
They
scuttled
short
singles well, had one near miss going for a risky two, and were largely untroubled by Bangladesh’s pace attack a few notches down from India’s Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
When Guptill lifted captain Mashrafe Mortaza over his head for six in classic pose, it looked his night and he nearly cleaned up umpire Chris Brown with another missile off Mohammad Saifuddin.
With the ball it mostly went to script for the Black Caps against the world No 7, with just two more ODIs before the World Cup.
They fielded what looked their strongest XI, with legspinner Todd Astle the one curious omission. A tight race looms between Astle and Ish Sodhi for the cup squad and now was an opportune time to give him three ODIs to push his case, but Colin de Grandhomme was preferred.
The pace barrage worked early for New Zealand as Trent Boult (3-40) and Matt Henry (2-48) were again a lethal new ball duo, 10 days after they tore through India’s top order in Wellington.
Boult swung the ball at a good clip and removed dangerman Tamim Iqbal with a beauty. Henry neared perfection, too, with one that nipped back and clipped the top of Liton Das’ off stump.
A sub-150 total looked on after Boult clanged Mushfiqur Rahim on the helmet then had him chopping on, and two balls later Soumya Sarkar skied a poor shot after looking a million dollars.
Bangladesh were 71-5 then 94-6 as Lockie Ferguson charged in, removed their 2017 Cardiff Champions Trophy nemesis Mahmudullah and reached 154.9kmh on the speed radar.
Without star allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, the tourists were fresh from the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 and played like it too, before realising this was a belter.
Mohammad Mithun (62 off 90) and No 9 Saifuddin (49 off 58) frustrated the bowlers who took the foot off the pedal a fraction, with spinner Mitchell Santner (3-45) helping finish the job.