Kiwis bash the Irish

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting

Trent Bridge, Nottingham, Thursday: The New Zealanders sans three of their stalwarts, convincingly beat Ireland by 83 runs in their Super Eight game, here today.

After letting the Kiwis make a big 198 for 5, the Irish batting failed to chase their opponents score and attempt for a victory.

They lost their first wicket at 1 and from then onwards it was a procession with batsmen coming and going. Their running too between the wickets was horrible. They did not seem to have a batting plan when chasing and conceded defeat.

The Kiwi bowlers Kylie Mills, James Franklin and Nathan O’Brien bowled accurately to stall the Irish batsmen. Only Andre Botha made an impression with 28 in 17. Off spinner Nathan McCullum 3 for 15 and Kylie Mills 2 for 9 bowled impressively.

The first Super Eight encounter was called ‘play’ in brilliant sunshine and Ireland winning the toss elected to field and it was a bit surprising considering that the wicket was good for batting.

Aaron Redmond who was called in for the indisposed Jesse Ryder who is in a London Hospital with a ‘significant infection’, got the Kiwis to a belligerent start with some audacious strokes, while the usually aggressive Brendon McCullum played second fiddle.

The Ireland bowlers could not contain, the bang, bang, batting by Redmond who was really enjoying his recall. He reached his 50 in 23 balls with 11 fours and joined West Indian Chrys Gayle who has also scored fifty in 23 balls. Fifty in 23 balls remains the quickest to date.

Redmond and McCullum put on their 50 in 30 deliveries before McCullum who could not get his act going went for 10 in 14. He had the distinction of hitting the 100th six of the tournament. In the power play of six overs the Kiwis had made 52 for one.

Redmond had his innings cruelly cut short when he was adjudged LBW to a ball that pitched outside off stump. He made 63 in 30. Scott Styris too hit hard for 42 in 25.

NEW ZEALAND
B. McCullum c West b McCallan		10
A. Redmond lbw b Cusack			63
M. Guptill not out			45
S. Styris c K. O’Brien b McCallan	42
J. Oram c Botha b Cusack 		15
P. McGlashan b Johnson		 	 5
J. Franklin not out			 7
Extras: (b3, lb4, w4)			11
Total (for 5 wkts, 20 overs)		198
Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-91, 3-152, 4-168, 5-176. 
Bowling: Connell 1-0-14-0, Johnson 4-0-43-1, K. O’Brien 4-0-31-0, 
McCallan 4-0-33-2, Cusack 4-0-43-2 (w3), West 3-0-27-0 (w1).

IRELAND
W. Porterfield run out			1
G. Wilson c Franklin b Styris		23
N. O’Brien c Oram b Mills		3
A. Botha run out			28
K. O’Brien c Franklin b N. McCullum	2
J. Mooney run out			12
A. Cusack c McCullum b N. McCullum	20
T. Johnson run out			14
K. McCallan lbw b N. McCullum		0
R. West b Mills				8
P. Connell not out			1
Extras: (lb2, w1)			3
Total (all out, 16.4 overs)		115
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-15, 3-57, 4-58, 5-67, 6-86, 7-104, 8-104, 9-112, 10-115.
Bowling: Mills 2.4-0-12-2 (w1), Franklin 3-0-17-0, Butler 2-0-15-0, Oram 3-0-25-0, 
Styris 3-0-29-1, N. McCullum 3-0-15-3.