http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 lock horns in Napier: 4th ODI Preview
Pakistan and New Zealand have set their sights on the fourth ODI to be played at the McLean Park in Napier. The hosts started the series brilliantly with a fine win at the Westpac in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wellington-c864, registering a crushing 9-wicket
win.
The second match ended in no result because of rain and the third match went Pakistan’s way after their middle and lower order took the team to an imposing total of 293 with a staggering 126 runs scored in the last 10 overs of
the innings.
The two sides have been through tough times: Pakistan have been at their mercurial best starting from the tour of England, and on the other hand New Zealand were tormented by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747, losing
11 ODIs on the trot before a reversal of fortunes at Wellington.
The hosts have a good record against Pakistan at the venue: they are yet to lose a game there against the tourists and would be hoping to carry on in the same vein today.
The two teams are likely to continue on their rotation policies before the World Cup. Pakistan would like to give their ace pacer Shoaib Akhtar another run after the Rawalpindi Express was smacked all over the park at Westpac in
Wellington.
On the other hand, the hosts will bring back their captain Daniel Vettori (he sat out the Christchurch game). The left-arm spinning all-rounder feels that his team let Pakistan off the hook in his absence; he added that both teams
were in a similar situation and wanted to bring in consistency in their ranks.
"Both teams search for consistency, and both teams struggle to get it, so we know we can turn their confidence around pretty quickly and hopefully put it in our favour. I think we need to look at that," he said.
Vettori added that the bowlers were overawed by the astonishing assault that they were subjected to by Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi at Christchurch.
Afridi was at his belligerent best, smacking 5 sixes in his 25-ball 65 that swung the game in his team’s favour.
"If you look at the way we bowled to him [Afridi], we gave him a number of opportunities to clear the ropes. We missed a chance to catch him, you just can't afford to do that, so the onus goes on the bowlers to hit their lines
and lengths ... You can accept if they get hit from those areas, but if you are bowling half-volleys and length balls in the Power plays you are going to be in trouble," said Vettori.
Pakistan added 76 runs in the 5 powerplay overs and showed a glimpse of their superb talent with the bat, especially when they have a platform to explode at the end of the innings.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Cricket is hoping that a decent crowd makes its way to the venue; the series thus far has been marred by poor crowds as the home fans remain uncertain about the performance of their team against an opposition
that can trouble the best in the business on their day.
Teams:
Pakistan (probable): 1 Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Younis Khan, 4 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 (capt), 8 Abdul Razzaq, 9 Abdur Rehman/Sohail Tanvir, 10 Umar Gul, 11
Shoaib Akhtar/Wahab Riaz.
New Zealand (probable): 1 Jesse Ryder, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Ross http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915, 4 Scott Styris, 5 Kane Williamson, 6 Jamie How, 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Daniel Vettori (capt), 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Hamish
Bennett.
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