Brendon slams ton as New Zealand rout Canada

Brendon McCullum slammed his maiden World Cup century as New Zealand routed minnows Canada by 97 runs in their penultimate Group A match to seal a berth in the quarterfinals here today.

Wicketkeeper McCullum slammed 101 in 109 balls, studded with 12 fours and two sixes, to help New Zealand amass 358 for six, the highest ODI score at Wankhede Stadium, before the Kiwis restricted their unfancied rivals to 261 for nine to take full two points.

Chasing the huge target, Canada gave a semblance of fight by skipper Ashish Bagai who made 84 in 87 balls with ten fours and Jimmy Hansra, who made a determined unbeaten 105-ball 70 with the help of four fours and a six.

The dismissal of Bagai, who put on 125 runs with Hansra before edging off-break bowler Nathan McCullum to the latter's brother and wicketkeeper Brendon, and a cameo knock of 31 in 35 balls by opener Hiren Patel were the few highlights of Canadian run chase.

Brendon McCullum claimed three catches and also contributed to a run out to emerge the man of the match.

The Black Caps were handicapped in the bowling by the absence of their captain Daniel Vettori, nursing a knee injury sustained during their big victory over Pakistan. They suffered another blow after speedster Kyle Mills, who grabbed the first two Canadian wickets quickly, limped off the field with a leg injury.

After today's victory, New Zealand are on top of Group A with eight points from five matches and they play their last league match against Sri Lanka at this venue on March 18.

Canada, with only two points from five ties, have no chance to progress further. They face defending champions Australia on March 16 in Bangalore in their last match.

The North Americans' run-chase, after the Black Caps posted the highest-ever ODI total at this venue, never took off in serious vein after they lost two wickets within the first five overs, Kyle Mills accounting for both the victims.

Mills sent back opener Ruvendu Gunasekara and one-down Zubin Surkari in his second and third overs before leaving the field because of a quadriceps injury in his left leg.

Both were snapped up by Taylor in the slip cordon to leave Canada gasping at 2 for 4.

There was a period of counterattack from the minnows when Hiren Patel struck three fours in an over from Tim Southee, one of which was a top edge behind wicketkeeper Brendon.

It was, however, too good to last as he departed for a 35-ball 31, that included five fours and a six off James Franklin, edging Jacob Oram to Brendon behind the stumps after having added 46 runs for the third wicket with Bagai.

Bagai and Hansra kept the Canadians in the hunt with their century stand for the fourth wicket that ended when the former was caught behind trying to accelerate scoring in the face of climbing asking rate.

Hansra retired hurt when on 53 in the 39th over when the total was 179 for five and Canada needed a staggering 180 runs in 71 balls. He later came back to resume his innings at the fall of the eighth wicket but the fight, whatever was left of it, was over though the minnows prevented their rivals from bowling them out.

Mills was the most impressive bowler for the Black Caps with two for two while the tall Oram (3 for 47), Tim Southee (1 fo 36), Jesse Ryder (1 for 15) and spinner Nathan McCullum (1 for 56) were the other wicket takers.

Earlier, New Zealand rode on Brendon McCullum's maiden World Cup ton and stand-in skipper Ross Taylor's breezy half century to post 358 for six after being sent into bat.

Apart from McCullum and Taylor, other contributors were Jesse Ryder (38), Scott Styris (20-ball 35), Kane Williamson (34) and James Franklin (31 not out in eight balls). Franklin hoisted Rizwan Cheema for three sixes and a four in the final over to help the Kiwis cross the 350 mark.

The last ten overs yielded 122 runs, including 31 runs in the last, that helped the Black Caps shoot past the previous highest aggregate of 299 for four made by India against Sri Lanka in 1987 at this ground which is hosting its first tie in the ongoing World Cup and first international in more than three and a half years.

McCullum was on song from the start after New Zealand were asked to bat on the newly laid turf and proceeded to cut, pull and drive his way to his hundred, his third in 189 ODIs.

The 29-year-old wicketkeeper also put on 53 runs for the first wicket in 9.5 overs with his in-form opening partner Martin Guptill (17) to lay foundation of the massive total.

McCullum consolidated the innings with another partnership of 96 with one-down batman Ryder before giving further impetus with Taylor through a stand of 36 for the third wicket.

He fell just after Canada opted for the bowling power play, unable to clear short cover fielder Ruvindu Gunasekar.

He had raced to his 100 in 107 balls a few minutes earlier.

Taylor, captaining the side in place of injured Daniel Vettori and coming into the tie after his match-winning 131 not out against Pakistan at Pallekelle, then took over the attacking reins. He slammed four sixes and a four to take 30 runs off Harvir Baidwan in the 39th over to up the tempo.

Taylor, appearing well set to race to his second hundred of the tournament, was dismissed in the 41st over.

For Canada, off-spinner John Davison, a veteran of three World Cup campaigns, applied the brakes with an economical spell of nine overs while leg-spinner Balaji Rao finished with two wickets, including that of Taylor, while Harvin Baiwan grabbed three.

Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/132304/sports/can-vs-nz-match-report.html

Turning point in Pakistan vs New Zealand World Cup match

New Zealand put 302 on board against Pakistan, who are definitely not good in chasing. And when it comes of 300-plus scores they usually find themselves up against the wall.

And that's what happened during the World Cup Group A match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, where the team just floundered as the Kiwi bowlers made merry.

But, the turning point in the game was those three important dismissals that had the Pakistan team reeling on 23-4.

First Ahmed Shehzad fell to Kyle Mills on 23-2 in the seventh over. Then Mills accounted for Younis Khan in the same over and the Pakistan scoreboard read 23-3. In the next over Nathan McCullum scalped Kamran Akmal and Pakistan went down to 23-4.

Those quick dismissal Pakistan were already looking down the barrel.

Man-of-the-Match

It has to be Ross Taylor, who scored an impressive 131 off just 124 balls to helped the Kiwis put an impressive 302 on board. His fine innings was decorated with eight fours and seven over the fence shots.

Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/131867/sports/match-moments-in-pakistan-vs-new-zealand-world-cup-match.html

ICC World Cup 2011: New Zealand beat Kenya by 10 wickets

Pacer Hamish Bennett picked up a career-best four-wicket haul as New Zealand trounced Kenya by 10 wickets in a totally lop-sided World Cup Group A encounter at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. 

Electing to bat first, the Kenyans were sent packing for their lowest World Cup total of 69 in just 23.5 overs before the Kiwis overhauled the paltry target in eight overs.

With just 31.5 overs played, New Zealand recorded the second fastest World Cup victory. In fact, it was a match which lasted less than a third of what a full cricket one-dayer would be.

Kiwi opener Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum scored quick-fire knocks of 39 and 26 respectively to take their team home within three hours.

Earlier, Bennett, who will turn 24 on Tuesday, was the wrecker-in-chief for New Zealand, who came into the mega-event rather low on confidence after losing successive ODI series to Bangladesh and India a few months ago.

His four wickets were instrumental in reducing the Kenyans to their lowest score after the 104 against the West Indies in the 2003 World Cup. This was also the fifth lowest by any team in the World Cup history.

Playing only his ninth ODI for New Zealand after taking 11 wickets from six matches against Pakistan at home recently, Bennett ripped through the clueless Kenyan batting line-up by claiming four wickets in the space of 10 balls as his dream first spell read 5-0-16-4.

Bennett's earlier best came a fortnight ago against Pakistan in Auckland when he took 4 for 46.

Bennett's pace partners, Tim Southee (3/13) and Jacob Oram (3/2) shared the other six Kenyan wickets.

For Kenya, only three batsmen - opener Seren Waters (16), Collins Obuya (14) and Indian-origin Rakep Patel (16 not out) - got into double figures.

Such was the capitulation that the last three Kenyan players - Nejhemiah Odhiam, Shem Ngoche and Elijah Otieno - departed without even disturbing the scorecard.

The Kenyans, opting to bat first on a grass-less wicket, were totally exposed and they lacked technical prowess mostly going across to get rapped on their pads.

Their top five batsmen were adjudged leg before including Maurice Ouma, who went in for a referral, which only confirmed the umpire's original decision.

As the match started, the openers, Alex Obanda and Waters were seen to be well up to their task taking time to analyse the conditions and plodded to get their eyes in while stealing some quick singles.

New Zealand Captain Daniel Vettori decided to open the attack with both pace and spin in operation, bringing in Nathan McCullum from the far end.

But it was Southee, who provided the first breakthrough by dismissing Obanda leg before.

Obanda, who misread the angle of a good length delivery, made 6.

Thereafter, it was Bennett who ruled the roost dismissing Waters, the experienced Steve Tikolo (2), who is playing his fifth world cup, Obuya and Maurice Ouma (1).

With the top five batsmen wilting under pressure, the remaining five batsmen added just 20 runs and Oram polished off the tail in quick time.

The chase was never meant to cause much hassle for the Kiwi batsmen and Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill went after the Kenyan bowling attack from the very start.

While Guptill's 39 runs came off 32 balls, including five fours and a couple of sixes, McCullum took 17 balls to knock off his 26 runs, 16 of which came in boundaries.

Nehemiah Odhiambo ended up being the costliest of the Kenyan bowlers, conceding 21 runs in his two overs, while Thomas Odoyo was no better, giving away 25 runs in his three overs.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/130401/world-cup-cricket-2011/icc-world-cup-2011-kenya-vs-new-zealand-live.html

Revenge is foremost on India's mind

It's revenge time for India. The unexpected defeat at the hands of Bangladesh during the 2007 World Cup is still fresh in the minds of most Indian players and avenging that loss will be on top of their must-do agenda as they clash with the co-hosts in the opening match of the World Cup in Dhaka on Saturday.

That defeat was instrumental in sending India out of the tournament in the first round itself and the hurt can still be felt in the Indian camp. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni just doesn't want to talk about it. "Never even thought about it because we don't want to repeat what happened in 2007," he said on the eve of the big game that millions of people are looking forward to. In several ways, the result of the day-night encounter at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium could set the tone for the 14-nation, 45-day tournament. If it turns out to be a closely fought encounter, it will be a good advertisement for the 50-over format - which some people feel is under threat from Twenty20 - and will make investors/advertisers and some others smile.

Already, an anonymous punter has put a bet of £82,000 bet - the biggest ever laid on a one-day game - with a London bookmaker on India winning the World Cup. But Dhoni would again not like to think about it, otherwise it would add to the pressure on him. Bangladesh have managed to eke out only two wins in 22 matches against India in more than 22 years of bilateral ODI history, but the one they managed on March 17, 2007, was the most telling. And when Dhoni, who failed to score in that game but took three catches, goes out for the toss, his mind would surely go back to that defeat.

He may have given a new name to pressure, "added responsibility", but he can't just shrug it away from his mind. One consolation for India is that pacer Mashrafe Mortaza, who bagged four wickets and was man of the match in that game, is not in the team. Seven of the 11 players who lost that game are still in the Indian team and would be itching to avenge that embarrassment.

Interestingly, India and Bangladesh could be in different mindsets as they returned contrasting results just before the World Cup. While India lost the five-match ODI series 2-3 in South Africa last month, Bangladesh blanked New Zealand 4-0 at home and then thrashed Zimbabwe 3-1 in December and would be high on confidence.

For India, pace spearhead Zaheer Khan is suspected to be a doubtful starter due to an injury. But Dhoni was confident he would play. "Zaheer is fit as of now. I have not spoken to the physio. If there is something, I will let you know," he said. Left-armer Zaheer bowled at the nets on Friday evening, but did not go full throttle. Maybe, Dhoni wants to preserve him for the more important matches coming ahead. Maybe, the bowler is still not 100 per cent match fit. The answers will be known on Saturday afternoon when Dhoni exchanges the team sheets with his Bangladesh counterpart Shakib Al Hasan at the toss.

Dhoni said spinners could play a big role in the tournament as pitches in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka largely support slow bowlers. Bangladesh too would depend largely on spinners, who happen to be their strength, especially on home turf.

The India skipper too acknowledged this. "All three Bangladesh spinners are good. They have got two good part-timers who can bowl off-spin and leg-spin. It's a good side. In the sub-continent, they rely a lot on their spinners because here they get more assistance than anywhere else," he said.

Shakib was gung ho about Bangladesh's prospects. "Our bowlers are in good form, the batsmen have been doing their job and our fielding has improved a lot," he said, looking confident.

"This tournament is not only about playing India. We have six league matches to play and we have to perform in all of them. If we get our basics right, we will do well."

Bangladesh will no doubt receive wholehearted support from vociferous home fans. But the experienced Indian players are not new to playing and winning in adverse conditions. And they are expected to do the same on Saturday.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/130298/top-stories/world-cup-team-india-seeks-revenge-for-2007-defeat.html