De Grandhomme extends Kiwis winning run
Improved batting performance fails to buck the trend for Pakistan
Colin de Grandhomme returned from time out following the death of his father to spur New Zealand to a five-wicket win over Pakistan in the fourth One Day International yesterday and to a 4-0 lead in the five-match series.
De Grandhomme was playing for New Zealand for the first time since mid-December, when he returned to his native Zimbabwe after the sudden and unexpected death of his father, aged 61.
New Zealand’s unbeaten record at home this season was under threat until De Grandhomme went to the crease at No. 7 and hit 74 not out, including a half century from 25 balls with five sixes, to guide the hosts to their target of 263 with 4.1 overs remaining.
Pakistan produced its best batting performance of the series so far to reach 262-8 batting first, led by Mohammad Hafeez with 81 and half centuries to Haris Sohail and Sarfraz Ahmad. New Zealand started strongly with an 88-run open- ing partnership between Colin Munro, who made 56 from 42 balls, and Martin Guptill (31). But teenage leg-spinner Shadab Khan turned the match with three quick wickets as New Zealand slumped from 88-1 to 90-3. New Zealand crumbled further to 99-4 before captain Kane Williamson steadied the innings in a 55-run fifthwicket partnership with Henry Nicholls.
The match was again in the balance with New Zealand at 154-5 after 35 overs. But de Grandhomme blasted Pakistan out of the match. De Grandhomme’s half century included 42 runs from boundaries — three fours and five sixes — and his 74 came from only 40 balls and included seven fours and five sixes.
Pakistan
Fakhar Zaman b Santer Faheem Ashraf c Latham b Southee Babar Azam c Latham b Southee Haris Sohail c Nicholls b Williamson Mohammad Hafeez run out Shoaib Malik c Santner b Williamson Sarfraz Ahmad c Guptill b Boult Hassan Ali c Guptill b Southee Shadab Khan not out
(2lb, 7w) (for 8 wickets in 50 overs)
1-7, 2-11, 3-97, 4-123, 5-130, 6-228, 7-233, 8-262.
Southee 8-0-44-3 (1w), Boult 10-0-73-1 (2w), Ferguson 6-0-32-0 (1w), De Grandhomme 3-0-16-0, Williamson 10-0-32-2, Santner 10-0-43-1 (3w), Munro 3-0-20-0.
Extras: Total Fall of wickets:
Bowling: New Zealand
Martin Guptill c Hasan b Shadab 31 Colin Munro c Hafeez b Shadab 56 Kane Williamson c Rumman b Haris 32 Ross Taylor lbw b Rumman 1 Tom Latham c Babar b Shadab 8 Henry Nicholls not out 52 Colin de Grandhomme not out 74
(4b, 5w) 9 (for 5 wickets in 45.5 overs) 263
1-88, 2-89, 3-90, 4-99,
Extras: Total Fall of wickets:
5-154.
Bowling:
Amir 6-1-36-0 (2w), Hasan Ali 8.5-0-60-0 (3w), Ashraf 6-0-33-0, Raees 9-0-59-1, Shadab Khan 10-0-423, Sohail 6-0-29-1. Pakistan
Toss:
54 1 3 50 81 6 51 1 6 9 262