NZ beat Netherlands to continue winning start
BBC Online :
New Zealand continued their perfect start to the Men’s Cricket World Cup with a dominant 99-run win over the Netherlands in Hyderabad on Monday.
After being put in, the Kiwis made 322-7 with opener Will Young, Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra all making fifties.
The Netherlands, who have lost their opening two games, were always behind the rate and lost regular wickets.
Colin Ackermann made 69 but they were bowled out for 223 in 46.3 overs, with Mitchell Santner taking 5-59.
New Zealand, who thrashed England in their opening game of the tournament, face Bangladesh on Friday at 09:30 BST, while the Netherlands play South Africa at the same time on 17 October.
New Zealand are aiming to reach their third successive World Cup final and their campaign started with a statement nine-wicket hammering of England in Thursday’s opening game.
Young (70) and Ravindra’s (51) place in the team may be under threat when captain Kane Williamson returns to the side – potentially in New Zealand’s next match – but both were patient and particularly strong down the ground.
Some powerful late-order hitting from Santner added 36 off 17 balls though, with the left-hander hitting two sixes from the final two balls of the innings.
New Zealand’s patient approach may well be tested against better sides than the Netherlands, with more than 322 potentially required on some grounds in India.
Matt Henry (3-40) was again excellent with the new ball for New Zealand, bowling Vikram Singh after switching to round the wicket, before spinners Santner and Ravindra (1-46) chipped away at the Dutch batting.
Ackermann offered resistance with some fine strokes, particularly through the leg side, but a highest stand of 50 was never going to see them close to the required target.
There was also some extremely poor running, with Teja Nidamanuru run out to end that 50-run stand, while New Zealand also missed numerous opportunities for others.
Henry then demonstrated his ability at the death to have Sybrand Engelbrecht caught on the square-leg boundary, before bowling Aryan Dutt to wrap up the win.
The Netherlands have only won two of their 22 50-over World Cup matches and captain Scott Edwards may have to rethink their preferred strategy of chasing.
For New Zealand, it is now a question of how they shape their XI over the remainder of the competition with Williamson and pace bowler Tim Southee nearing a return.
All-rounder Mark Chapman may drop out with him making just five in this game, while he is yet to bowl in the tournament.
Their next two matches are in Chennai, which tends to favour spin meaning leg-spinner Ish Sodhi could come into contention too.
