http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 score 262 runs at Napier
New Zealand could not have asked for a better set of conditions to bat first on a perfect batting track at Napier, in the fourth One Day International (ODI) against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755.
It started well for the Black Caps with the openers getting them off to a flying start. They lost their way shortly afterwards but James Franklin along with the McCullum brothers made sure they got to a more than respectable total of 262-7.
Jamie How and Martin Guptill started in similar fashion to the way they did in the last match, taking advantage of the short boundaries. Both the openers soon lost their wickets in quick succession.
They were followed by Ross http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915, who fell cheaply for just 4 runs, off Wahab Riaz’s bowling and was caught by Younis. The Pakistani duo was responsible for the wicket of Guptill earlier as well.
Abdul Razzaq along with Wahab Riaz, dictated terms to the New Zealand batsmen, who found runs very hard to come by. Abdul Razzaq in particular bowled splendidly well during this phase, literally giving nothing away.
Scott Styris, the new man in, tried to steady the ship with Williamson but that didn’t last long. The quiet partnership between the two came to end when Styris was run out by Hafeez. Williamson couldn’t survive for long and after scoring a patient 15 he
fell to the spin of Mohammad Hafeez.
New Zealand was tottering at 79 for 5 when Franklin and B McCullum got to the crease to do the much needed repair work.
Franklin, who was the Black Caps best batsman on their last tour again proved his worth with the bat. He along with the younger McCullum brother built up a very crucial partnership of 62 in less than 12 overs to allow their team to breathe a little easy.
McCullum played a well paced innings of 37 before he became Wahab’s third victim for the day. The departure of one McCullum meant the arrival of the other one. Nathan McCullum joined James Franklin at the crease to form a partnership, which could very well
determine the result of the match.
Both the players changed the entire complexion of the match by scoring runs quickly and without taking chances. Franklin raised his half century and seemed all set to provide New Zealand with a competitive target. He eventually got out after scoring 62 crucial
runs for his team.
After his departure it was the turn of the older McCullum brother to take charge of things. His innings lifted New Zealand above an average score to a competitive score of 262 for 7. While doing so he scored 53 of just 58 balls. He was ably supported by
his captain, Daniel Vettori.
Pakistan would definitely be thinking about how things got out of control so quickly after they had New Zealand on the back foot. They would need to take a good look at their bowling, which was not up to the mark and the fact that they gave away too many
extras.
Pakistan would now need to make up for their poor bowling when they start their run chase.
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