http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 – Cricket News Update
New Zealand’s opening batsman Rob Nicol, who won the Player of the Match award during the team’s 88-run victory over the West Indies in the 3rd ODI in St Kitts on July 11, has expressed satisfaction over his performance, while admitting that the
inability to score a century had been disappointing.
“I was pleased. I wanted to carry on with a start, which I did today,” he said. “It was disappointing to not go and score a three figures.”
The ongoing 5-match series, following the T20 leg of the tour (which ended 2-0, in favour of the Windies) had been fairly one-sided so far, with the hosts winning the first match by 9 wickets, and following that up with a 55-run victory in the second game.
The Kiwi bowling attack had put forth fair displays, and the main problems were to be found in their feeble batting performances. Deprived of veteran batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JD-Ryder-c1679, the Black Caps’ batting displays were insipid, to say
the least. In addition, skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LRPL-Taylor-c1849 was forced to pull out in order to recover from a shoulder strain sustained during the first T20I in Florida.
The opening duo of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Daniel-Flynn-c1309 had been unremarkable (12, 21).
However, while http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754’s batting problems still continued to be glaringly obvious during the third ODI, which they managed to win after an impressive bowling display, Nicol, who had hitherto registered scores of 14 and 15, broke through his dismal run
and managed a 59, before he was caught and bowled by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BJ-Haddin-c1170 Watling’s 40, and Nathan McCullum’s 50, with New Zealand posting a respectable total of 249 at the end of 50 overs.
Although substitute skipper Williamson praised the batsmen for managing to get starts, he also went on to add that these needed to be converted into substantial innings which had the potential to completely turn the match in the team’s favour.
Their recent victory sees the series score at 2-1, and the visitors will be looking to bring it up to a level 2-2 in the 4th ODI of the series, scheduled to take place on July 14 at the same venue.
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