Tri series: NZ humiliate India by 200 runs

Agencies
Bellevision Media Network

Dambulla, 10 August 2010: Daryl Tuffey took three of the five wickets to fall as the Indians got off to a horror start chasing 289 for victory in the first one day international of the tri-series competition in Dambulla on Tuesday. Earlier Ross Taylor smashed a robust 95 and Scott Styris cracked 89 under pressure as the Kiwis posted a challenging total of 288.

 

New Zealand were struggling at 28-3 after winning the toss in the day-night match before skipper Taylor and all-rounder Styris propped up the innings with a record 190-run stand for the fourth wicket. The partnership was New Zealand’s best for the fourth wicket in one-day internationals, the previous highest being 168 between Lee Germon and Chris Harris against Australia in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final at Chennai.

 

 

Taylor looked set to complete his fourth one-day hundred when he was trapped leg-before by left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra, who was the most successful bowler with 4-47. The New Zealand captain hit one six and eight fours in his 113-ball knock. India paceman Praveen Kumar did the early damage when he had opener Martin Guptill caught behind for 11 and then bowled debutant Kane Williamson for no score in his lively opening spell.

 

Nehra was the other wicket-taker in the initial overs, having opener Peter Ingram caught behind for 12. India then had to wait for more than 31 overs to get another wicket as Taylor and Styris applied themselves remarkably well on a slow pitch to boost the innings.

 

Styris was bowled by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha immediately after hoisting the bowler for a straight six. He also completed 4,000 one-day runs during his 95-ball knock. Sri Lanka are the third team in the tournament. Each side will play the other twice in the preliminary league before the top two qualify for the final on August 28.

 

Earlier Report: Tri Series: NZ dismissed for 288

Dambulla, 10 August 2010: India fought back brilliantly to dismiss New Zealand for 288 in the first one day international of the tri-series competition in Dambulla on Tuesday. Pragyan Ojha ended a 190 run patnership for the fourth wicket between Scott Styris and New Zeland skipper Ross Taylor when he bowled Styris for 89 which opened the floodgates for a series of wickets and the Kiwis failed to bat out their quota of 50 overs.

 

Earlier Praveen Kumar’s twin strike gave the Men in Blue an ideal start to their ODI campaign in Sri Lanka. Compounding the problem for Kiwis was Ashish Nehra who too chipped in with a quick wicket, when he removed the debutant Kane Williamson. Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s luck with the toss continued to desert him, as the Indian captain lost it once again, this time against New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor who elected to bat first, continuing the trend followed by teams playing day-night encounters at the Dambulla stadium.

 

 

With the two teams missing regulars, there are wholesale changes seen on both sides. Ishant Sharma’s injury, though unfortunate, gave Abhimanyu Mithun a chance to impress in the ODIs as well, with Ashish Nehra and Praveen Kumar completing the pace trio.

 

Gautam Gambhir’s absence has brought in Dinesh Karthik to open with Sehwag, while the vacancy generated by Harbhajan’s absence went to Pragyan Ojha, making it two left-armers in the Indian lineup, along with Ravindra Jadeja. Rohit Sharma too gets a chance to fill the big shoes of Sachin Tendulkar who is back home. Virat Kohli misses out.

 

For New Zealand, Ross Taylor - leading the side in place of Daniel Vettori - has entrusted Gareth Hopkins to keep wickets. New Zealand strangely left Jeetan Patel out, probably due to the tinge of green on the pitch. The side is packed with quality all-rounders in Jacob Oram, Scott Styris and Grant Elliott. Kane Williamson gets the nod to make his ODI debut.

 

TEAMS

 

India:

Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Karthik, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha.

 

New Zealand:

MJ Guptill, PJ Ingram, Ross Taylor, KS Williamson, Scott Styris, Grant Elliott, Gareth Hopkins, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, Darrel Tuffey, AJ McKay.