New Zealand end series on winning note
Having already wrapped up the 6 match series 3-1, Pakistan opted to give some fringe players a chance in the sixth one day match at Eden Park http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Auckland-c766, as a part of preparations for the upcoming ICC World Cup. Sohail Tanvir was added to the squad in
place of fellow left-arm quick bowler Wahab Riaz, while middle order batsman Asad Shafiq replaced Misbah ul Haq who was given a well-deserved rest.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482, now the announced captain for the World Cup, won the toss and decided to field first. His decision paid early dividends as the dangerous Brendon McCullum was caught behind off Sohail Tanvir's ball in just the fourth over of the match,
with the New Zealand’s score at just 18. His departure brought Jesse Ryder to the crease, who had enjoyed bad form the entire series, but the out-of-form and currently out-of-luck with run outs, batsman made his intentions clear from the start as he smashed
Sohail Tanvir for three sixes in one over, while still fresh at the crease. Ryder did not slow down even when Pakistan brought in spinner Mohammad Hafeez in the batting power play. He continued to hit the ball beautifully reaching a rapid 50 in just 34 deliveries
continually thrashing the entire Pakistani bowling attack.
Guptill who had at times been a mere spectator as Ryder unleashed a barrage of boundaries, finally got out in the 25th over after having played a steady hand of 44 in a partnership of 123 with Ryder. Captain Ross http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915 did
not last too long edging a leg cutter from Abdul http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Razzaq-c84421 to wicket keeper after scoring just five runs. James Franklin too was pouched by Akmal behind the stumps for just eight runs, on a delivery by fast bolwer Shoaib Akhtar. Unruffled by the fall of wickets
at the other end, Ryder continued his hard hitting despite an injury bringing up his hundred with the help of a runner, off merely 82 balls. His whirlwind innings of 107 off just 93 balls, that included 7 fours and 6 massive sixes was finally ended by Mohammad
Hafeez in the 36th over.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 total from a gettable one to what seemed
to be a very improbable chase. Picking up where Ryder had left off, McCullum scored 65 off 50 balls and Styris 58 off 44 to get New Zealand to colossal total of 311 leaving Pakistan with a huge mountain to climb.
An asking rate of 6.22 from the start was always going to be difficult to manage for Pakistan and the fall of opener Ahmed Shahzad in just the third over owing to an ill-advised adavncing pull/swipe of a stroke worsened matters very quickly. Hafeez
who looked in good form having struck 21 that included two fours and a six followed soon after, hitting an innocuous angling in delivery form Bennett straight to Franklin at deep square leg.
Younis was the next to go in the 12th over, as Brendon McCullum held on to a fine catch as Younis edged one behind for 16 off Bennett. Asad Shafiq and Kamran Akmal who were stroking the ball quite nicely then gave some stability
to the Pakistani innings as they contributed a fine 74 run partnership. The stand was ended when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shafiq-c89281 was run-out for 26 after a mix-up between him and Akmal. While Kamran Akmal was by now starting to hit boundaries, his younger brother Umar Akmal never
really got going at the other end, and was caught behind for 8 trying to steer Franklin off to third man. Kamran shortly followed his brother, after having a played a fine knock of 89 before scooping one to Taylor at mid-off. Pakistan’s lower order Razzaq
too could not last long either and was caught by Taylor off Franklin for just one run.
Next up Afridi and Tanvir played a mixed offense defense knock for their 44 and 30 runs respectively, it was a very tough task for them to steer the team home at an asking rate that had climbed up to almost nine an over by then. Pakistan’s innings
finally came to an end at 254 with the dismissal of Umar Gul for one in the 45th over and New Zealand claimed a face-saving victory by 57 runs, while Pakistan claimed the series 3-2.
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