The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Easy win for New Zealand

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 05, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Easy win for New Zealand

By Ted Corbett

CARDIFF, JULY 4. Chris Cairns, the great all-rounder in the New Zealand team, read the pitch well on Saturday and sneaked an advantage that ensured his team a place in the NatWest final at Lord's next weekend. New Zealand, chasing West Indies' 216, won sensibly by five wickets with 24 balls left.

The game turned on an over from Dwayne Bravo who appeared to nudge a drive by Hamish Marshall on to the stumps with Craig McMillan out of his ground and New Zealand still 73 short.

The third umpire ruled McMillan not out; and next ball Hamilton appeared to be lbw but umpire Rudi Koertzen turned down the appeal. West Indies may still qualify ahead of England as New Zealand made no attempt to collect the important bonus point.

It remains a mystery that none of the three sides in this competition have been able to bat for the full 50 overs and are clearly unwilling to attempt to set a target.

England has never won batting first since Michael Vaughan became captain, New Zealand simply don't have the batting line-up for that tactic and West Indies, full of talented young batsmen, have no-one apart from Lara, Gayle and Sarwan who can play a long innings.

West Indies needed a bright performance from its young fast bowlers if it was to win this game but Jermaine Lawson began with a nine-ball over which cost nine runs — bowling with a fierce wind gusting round him, hardly a Caribbean feature — and soon New Zealand was scoring freely.

Nathan Astle went first, caught at mid-wicket immediately after hitting a six, but Fleming was not out until he had made 45 off 114 for two. Bravo had the wickets of Fleming and Scott Styris and if he had been allowed either of the appeals in that controversial over he might have snatched a famous victory.

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