Just the one game in today’s Cricket World Cup action, and although the game saw the end of the 300+ batting first scores, it still provided plenty of entertainment.
Day 4 Results
New Zealand v Scotland
New Zealand did one of their disciplines exceeding well today to topple a brave Scotland side on a beautiful summers day in Dunedin. It’s just a shame they did their other discipline so poorly. New Zealand surprised a few, and disappointed the local crowd, by bowling first when little was expected to be on offer for the bowlers.
Trent Boult and Tim Southee made a mockery of that statement though and generated prodigious swing and off the pitch movement to have the Scots reeling at 12/4. Trent Boult, fresh from picking up an $800,000+ IPL contract took two in two balls in his first over, and Southee followed suit with a possible hat-trick of his own just three overs later. Scotland recovered thanks to Matt Machan and Richie Berrington, before losing their final 6 wickets for just 33 runs; all of those wickets falling to Daniel Vettori and Corey Anderson. Either side of the 97 run partnership – which was actually really nicely done by the two half-centurions – Scotland were a bit of a shambles, failing to come to grips with the moving ball.
New Zealand were just as reckless at their turn at bat. Whether the Black Caps were seeking to boost their Net Run Rate, or whether they got complacent, they threw wickets away with as much regularity as repeats of the famous sitcom Friends on television. Even Mr Reliable, Kane Williamson, slogged wildly to lose his wicket, and only Grant Elliot can say he didn’t fall to a loose swish or swipe.
New Zealand go two-from-two but we imagine they’ll spend a fair bit of time in the nets before they face England in Wellington on Friday. Scotland play England next too, on Monday.
New Zealand 146 for 7 (Williamson 38, Davey 3-40, Wardlaw 3-57) beat Scotland 142 (Machan 56, Berrington 50, Anderson 3-18, Vettori 3-24) by three wickets
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
