Daniel Vettori savours brilliant bowling performance as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 end losing streak in style
New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori was a delighted man as his team ended its 11 match losing streak in ODIs with a commanding performance against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wellington-c864. The hosts rolled over
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482’s men for a measly 124 runs before cantering home for the loss of only 1 wicket inside 18 overs.
The crushing win was a pleasant surprise for Vettori’s men especially after they endured a 1-0 series loss in the test format.
"It was a really good start to the series," Vettori said. "The swing at the start, particularly from Tim, was the real key. We put the Pakistani guys under a lot of pressure and we never really let up, so it was a great start for us."
The wrecker-in-chief was seamer Tim Southee who made the ball jag around and kept his tight leash on the visitors with a five wicket haul.
Southee had collected the hat-trick in the T20 series and once again stunned the Pakistan top-order with a brilliant display of swing bowling claiming 5-33 in a probing spell.
Meanwhile the Westpac Stadium pitch also played a small part, the wicket seamed a great deal and the hosts were lucky that they did not bat first; Vettori had stated at the toss that he would have opted to bat also, yet as fate would have
it was asked to field first by Shahid Afridi.
After the match Vettori stated that all his bowlers enjoyed bowling on the wicket which was not what was initially expected.
"We were able to create pressure and hold onto that pressure for a long time," said Vettori. "No bowler who came into the attack ever let it up. Particularly from that top end, I could keep attacking with Tim and Hamish [Bennett] and we
just kept getting wickets so it made it easy. "Most of the bowlers enjoyed bowling on this wicket," he said. "To be honest we thought it was going to be a bit flatter than that but it just had enough in it. Sometimes the wickets that just have a little bit
in it are the hardest to play on."
The Black Caps skipper also praised the efforts of fast bowler Hamish Bennett who was playing his first ODI at home after taking part in the 0-4 loss to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 last year.
The burly right armer with a windmill like action made life equally tough for the Pakistanis gaining a rich haul of 3 for 26 from eight overs.
"I think [Bennett] was a little bit nervous at the start. I think he only played the two games [in Bangladesh], so he was playing in front of a New Zealand crowd for the first time, and that's why we held him back to bowl first-change.
Once he got through that first over I thought he was outstanding. He hit really good areas and bowled at a good pace so he'd be a good foil for the opening bowlers."
The win has brought temporary relief for Vettori’s men who would be aiming to win the series to move towards the World Cup with a renewed relief. He has to ensure that the team does not lose their focus and pocket the series against a
team that is as unpredictable as any in world cricket.
The visitors would be under immense pressure in the remainder of the series after the colossal loss in the opening game a major worry for them is the seam and swing that they might encounter in the rest of the matches, they have always
struggled on such tracks which might encourage the hosts to dish out more of the tracks similar to the one at Westpac.
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