Black Caps too good for India

Despite a great start to the Indian innings, the Black Caps led by their captain Daniel Vettori have recorded a hard fought ten run victory in the first match of the Super Eight stage.

India won the toss at The Wanderers and sent New Zealand in on what looked a good batting wicket. Despite the early loss of Lou Vincent for three to a fine catch by Karthik, the Black Caps were a respectable 23-1 after three overs.

Led by Brendon McCullum cashing in whenever he played a traditional cricket shot, New Zealand raced to 50-1 after just 6.3 overs. McCullum was given solid support by Peter Fulton who constantly looked to give the strike to his rampaging partner.

The introduction of off spinner Harbhajan Singh produced instant results when he had Fulton plum lbw for 21 in his first over and then in his second, he claimed the prize scalp of McCullum caught in the deep for 45 off 31 balls. McCullum and Fulton had contributed a fine partnership of 58 runs from just 41 deliveries.

Spin again accounted for the dangerous Ross Taylor lbw for 11 to Yuvraj Singh reducing the Black Caps to a precarious 89-4 in the 11th over. The situation was soon to become even worse when RP Singh brilliantly ran out Scott Styris with a direct hit to leave New Zealand 91-5 after 12.4 overs.

New Zealand finally posted their 100 in the 14th over and were still struggling after 15 overs at 112-5. However in the 16th over Jacob Oram and Craig McMillian smashed Yuvraj Singh for 25 runs including three sixes and in the process bringing up their 50 run partnership in just 23 deliveries.

Finally Oram fell for a well made 35 off 15 balls being caught in the deep off Sreesanth. It was some consolation for the bowler after being flayed for three sixes in the over. Unfortunately from the Indian point of view the damage had been done with the men in black having recovered to 164-6 after 18 overs.

Still McMillan was not finished and with the help of Daniel Vettori the Kiwis bludgeoned 21 off the 19th over and despite losing four wickets in the last over they finished at 190 all out with McMillan striking 44 from just 23 deliveries.

Despite some plays and misses Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir still found time to ‘boundary’ India to a impressive 67-0 after five overs, before finally New Zealand had some joy in dismissing Sehwag for a well made 40 off just 17 balls leaving India 76-1 after six overs.

It fell to the captain Vettori to apply the brakes going for just two runs in his first over as well as claiming a wicket with India being pulled back to 96 off 10 overs. It was that man Vettori again, who after being hit for six had the dangerous Gambhir caught at the wicket for 51 reducing India to 105-3 after 11 overs.

More spin and another wicket, this time Jeetan Patel had Yuvraj Singh caught in the deep, propelling India to 116-4 in the 12th over. Still with the big hitting MS Dhoni there India were still a chance, but a mid pitch mix up saw him depart for 24 and India were in real trouble at 125-5.

India kept fighting but Vettori continued to reek havoc, bowling Irfan Pathan for 11 and having Dinesh Karthik caught for 17 leaving India at 151-7 after 17 overs.

India finished 10 runs short at 180-9, and apart from the early onslaught by the openers they never really looked likely to defeat a professional Black Caps outfit.

New Zealand 190 all out (20 overs)
Brendon McCullum 45, Craig McMillan 44, Jacob Oram 35
Harbhajan Singh 2-24, RP Singh 2-29

India 180-9 (20 overs)
Gautam Gambhir 51, Virender Sehwag 40
Daniel Vettori 4-20, Jacob hOram 1-14

New Zealand won by 10 runs
Cricket Web Man of the Match: Daniel Vettori