ODI World Cup: New Zealand scored 322 runs against the Netherlands

New Zealand scored 322 runs against the Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. Having lost the toss, New Zealand was sent in to bat in the first innings. Here is a recap of the first innings.

New Zealand on top in the powerplay

The Netherlands bowlers started the powerplay in one of the best manners possible. The only thing missing in the first three overs was a wicket or two. The Netherlands started their bowling with three consecutive maiden overs. Aryan Dutt bowled a maiden over to Devon Conway and from the other end, Ryan Klein bowled a maiden to Will Young. Aryan then bowled another maiden and even induced a false shot from Conway on the first ball of the third over. 

The next six overs went for 61 runs as the New Zealand batters regained control of the innings and dominated the powerplay. New Zealand ended the powerplay with 63 runs on the without losing any wicket. The Netherlands would have felt that they let the control of the powerplay slip from their hands and could have contained the Kiwis for a lesser total.

Spinners keep it tight for the Netherlands

After three successive quiet overs resulting in just six runs, Netherlands finally broke the opening stand. 38-year-old, Roelof van der Merwe struck in just his third over dismissing Devon Conway. Conway was trying to take on van der Merwe and stepped out to clear the boundary but couldn’t get the ball past Bas de Leede stationed at deep mid-wicket. Spinners started to bowl in tandem as Colin Ackermann was introduced in the attack right after Conway’s wicket. Aryan came back into the attack and bowled a one-run over. The Netherlands missed out on a run-out opportunity as Teja Nidamanuru missed the stumps where he could have run out Rachin Ravindra in the 19th over. 

Young completed his half-century in 59 balls. This was the opener’s sixth ODI fifty. Ravindra was playing a knock totally opposite of what he did against England. His first boundary came on the 24th ball of his knock. Young was looking set to score a century but was dismissed by a short-length delivery from Paul van Meekeren in the 27th over. The Kiwi opener was trying to pull but only managed to top-edge the ball to Bas de Leede at mid-on. Young scored 70 runs in 80 balls hitting seven fours and two sixes. Darryl Mitchell came at number four to try and up the ante. Mitchell was playing at an almost run-a-ball pace.

Rachin Ravindra completed his fifty and was dismissed the very next ball. Roelof came back for his second spell and struck and dismissed Ravindra in just the second over of his new spell. Three balls before Ravindra’s dismissal Darryl Mitchell was given a lifeline by debutant Sybrand Engelbrecht. Mitchell tried to clip a full-length delivery on the stumps and gave a simple catch to short mid-wicket where Engelbrecht dropped a dolly.

Netherlands apply brakes on scoring

New Zealand looked set to get a huge total after the 40th over. Going into the final 10 overs, New Zealand had scored 238 runs for the loss of just three wickets with set batters, Darryl Mitchell and Tom Latham looking set. van Meekeren dismissed Mitchell on the first ball of the 41st over by clean bowling him with a slow off-cutter. Mitchell scored 48 runs in 47 balls hitting five fours and two sixes. Bas de Leede then dismissed Glenn Phillips in the very next over. The all-rounder almost had two wickets in two balls as Mark Chapman was given out for a caught behind by on-field umpire, Paul Reiffel. An instant review from Chapman saved him with ultra-edge showing a flat line.

Aryan Dutt came back for another spell in the next over and dismissed Chapman on the first ball of his 2nd over of the spell. Aryan dismissed the Kiwi skipper, Tom Latham in the 49th over soon after he reached his half-century in the previous over. Mitchell Santner provided a great finish to the innings scoring 36 runs in just 17 balls.