Kiwis ease into Cup quarters
Source: Agencies |
March 14, 2011, Monday
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NEW Zealand secured a World Cup quarterfinal spot yesterday with Brendon McCullum posting 101 and Ross Taylor bludgeoning 74 from 44 balls in a lopsided 97-run win over Canada in Mumbai, western India.
Now the New Zealanders lead Group A with eight points and are aiming to finish No. 1 in a pool containing three teams which have won the last five World Cup titles.
Opener McCullum's well-timed century was his first in 22 World Cup matches, while stand-in skipper Taylor clobbered a bowling attack for the second successive match. The seventh-wicket pair combined for 31 runs in the last over from Rizwan Cheema as New Zealand reached 358 for six after being sent in to bat - its second-highest World Cup total after the 363-5 it set against Canada four years ago.
Needing to score at seven an over, the Canadians lost their first two wickets for four runs - Kyle Mills having both Ruvindu Gunasekera (2) and Zubin Surkari (1) caught by Taylor at slip before he left the field with a strained thigh muscle. He didn't return to the field in the only concern for the Kiwis yesterday.
The North Americans' captain Ashish Bagai led a brave rearguard action, however, with 84 before cramp virtually crippled him and he was caught behind off Nathan McCullum.
Jimmy Hansra also battled hard against the inevitable with a stubborn 70 not out but he too needed extensive treatment for cramp on a baking day at the Wankhede Stadium, stage for the April 2 final, and retired hurt before returning with eight wickets down.
Canada eventually finished on 261-9.
Bagai shared partnerships of 46 with No. 3 Hiral Patel (31) and 125 with Hansra as Canada posted its highest total of the tournament.
The 19-year-old Patel swatted a six and hit five boundaries before he was caught behind off Jacob Oram, who returned the best bowling figures for New Zealand at 3-47.
"It was nice to get runs myself but we lost the game," said Bagai. "It was hot today, so got some cramps after keeping and batting, It got to me. We will look to go out on a high in Bangalore against Australia."
McCullum had earlier paced his innings at no more than a steady rate and passed 4,000 career one-day international runs on 95 before reaching three figures in 107 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes.
Now the New Zealanders lead Group A with eight points and are aiming to finish No. 1 in a pool containing three teams which have won the last five World Cup titles.
Opener McCullum's well-timed century was his first in 22 World Cup matches, while stand-in skipper Taylor clobbered a bowling attack for the second successive match. The seventh-wicket pair combined for 31 runs in the last over from Rizwan Cheema as New Zealand reached 358 for six after being sent in to bat - its second-highest World Cup total after the 363-5 it set against Canada four years ago.
Needing to score at seven an over, the Canadians lost their first two wickets for four runs - Kyle Mills having both Ruvindu Gunasekera (2) and Zubin Surkari (1) caught by Taylor at slip before he left the field with a strained thigh muscle. He didn't return to the field in the only concern for the Kiwis yesterday.
The North Americans' captain Ashish Bagai led a brave rearguard action, however, with 84 before cramp virtually crippled him and he was caught behind off Nathan McCullum.
Jimmy Hansra also battled hard against the inevitable with a stubborn 70 not out but he too needed extensive treatment for cramp on a baking day at the Wankhede Stadium, stage for the April 2 final, and retired hurt before returning with eight wickets down.
Canada eventually finished on 261-9.
Bagai shared partnerships of 46 with No. 3 Hiral Patel (31) and 125 with Hansra as Canada posted its highest total of the tournament.
The 19-year-old Patel swatted a six and hit five boundaries before he was caught behind off Jacob Oram, who returned the best bowling figures for New Zealand at 3-47.
"It was nice to get runs myself but we lost the game," said Bagai. "It was hot today, so got some cramps after keeping and batting, It got to me. We will look to go out on a high in Bangalore against Australia."
McCullum had earlier paced his innings at no more than a steady rate and passed 4,000 career one-day international runs on 95 before reaching three figures in 107 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes.
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