Five matches. Five teams bowled out. Five victories. New Zealand have been off duty the past
week at the World Cup, but their ultraattacking brand of cricket was as finely tuned as ever.
Daniel Vettori made it look even more menacing with a touch of spin and a lot of guile. His 4 for
18 eased him past 300 ODI wickets and left Afghanistan all but out of the World Cup.
A target of 187 was not going to be taxing, and it provided opportunity for Martin Guptill to find
some touch. A 76ball 57 included some forceful punches off the back foot and handsome lofts
down the ground both trademarks of the batsman when in full flow. Ross Taylor and Grant
Elliott, members of a middle order that had not done much in the tournament so far, too made the
most of their time in the middle as the hosts won with 83 balls to spare.
Afghanistan’s bowlers were easily handled, especially after Brendon McCullum took the score to
53 in the fifth over, but New Zealand’s were a different story. Trent Boult and Tim Southee had the
new ball on a string. As usual. Adam Milne racked his pace up to 150 kph three balls in. Nothing
new there. McCullum employed seven catching men when Vettori was on a hattrick. Yawn. New
Zealand have been so intimidating on the field in the World Cup so far that you expected all of
that. Afghanistan, having traversed 10,000 kms in the last week, walloped by Australia in Perth
and barely surviving a cliffhanger with Scotland in Dunedin, appeared tired and outclassed.
At least until Najibullah Zadran and Samiullah Shenwari used their nervous energy to get a few
big hits away and created some breathing space. They came together at 59 for 6 in the 20th over,
waited for the swing to fade away, Vettori’s spell to end and the fifth bowler Corey Anderson, to
push New Zealand into bowling the most overs they have in an innings in this World Cup.
The seventh wicket added 86 runs as Najibullah made a runaball halfcentury, including a six off
Southee that landed on the roof, and Shenwari batted through a nasty blow that left a visible dent
on the back of his helmet to make a hardworking 54 off 110. Their application should please
Afghanistan as much as the lack of it from the others should displease them.
Vettori’s first wicket was a happy accident, although it came off the first ball he bowled. He was
sneaked into the attack in the third over to allow Southee and Boult to switch ends and the bonus
was Usman Ghani playing down the wrong line to lose his off stump. The delivery, though, was a
beauty. Tossed up, drifting with the arm and skidding between bat and pad.
But McCullum preferred pace with the new ball. This time Southee and Boult were bowling at the
ends that assisted their respective away swingers. Boult heightened his threat by coming round the
wicket and his captain encouraged the search for the outside edge by providing two slips and two
gullies. But Asghar Stanikzai would feel disappointed that he fell into that trap off a short ball that
should have been hammered over Martin Guptill, and not halfheartedly guided into his hands.
Vettori returned in the 12th over and squeezed Afghanistan further, not that 35 for 3 needed much
work. It was a used pitch at McLean Park. It was dry and expected to play slower than usual. But it
didn’t have much turn. Vettori isn’t the kind of bowler who gets the ball to hoop around corners
anyway. But Afghanistan’s inexperience meant they kept playing for the ball moving away and
were consistently found out. As Nawroz Mangal showed when he was bowled trying to cut an arm
ball on off stump.
Vettori was nagging, his line barely drifting too far from the stumps, although his pace did flit
about between the 80 and the 90kph marks. He dismissed Mohammad Nabi, who was playing his
50th ODI, and Afsar Zazai in successive deliveries to cap off a spell that read 104184. It was the
first time he’s claimed a fourfor since June 2009.
McCullum the batsman was smash without substance today, but McCullum the captain might think
that a positive if only in private considering the middle order got some match practice ahead of
the quarterfinals.
Afghanistan
Javed Ahmadi lbw b Boult 1
Usman Ghani b Vettori 0
Nawroz Mangal b Vettori 27
Asghar Stanikzai c Guptill b Boult 9
Samiullah Shenwari c Taylor b Anderson 54
Mohammad Nabi* c Taylor b Vettori 6
Afsar Zazai† lbw b Vettori 0
Najibullah Zadran c Vettori b Milne 56
Dawlat Zadran c †Ronchi b Boult 1
Hamid Hassan c Milne b Anderson 16
Shapoor Zadran not out 2
Extras (lb 5, w 9) 14
Total (all out; 47.4 overs; 221 mins) 186
Fall of wickets 15 (Javed Ahmadi, 1.3 ov), 26 (Usman Ghani, 2.1 ov), 324 (Asghar Stanikzai,
8.2 ov), 449 (Nawroz Mangal, 15.1 ov), 559 (Mohammad Nabi, 19.4 ov), 659 (Afsar Zazai, 19.5
ov), 7145 (Najibullah Zadran, 38.3 ov), 8151 (Dawlat Zadran, 41.1 ov), 9166 (Samiullah
Shenwari, 45.2 ov), 10186 (Hamid Hassan, 47.4 ov)
Bowling
TG Southee 100430, TA Boult 102343, DL Vettori 104184, AF Milne 100381, CJ
Anderson 6.40382, GD Elliott 10100
New Zealand
MJ Guptill run out (Nawroz Mangal/Samiullah Shenwari) 57
BB McCullum* b Mohammad Nabi 42
KS Williamson c Samiullah Shenwari b Shapoor Zadran 33
LRPL Taylor not out 24
GD Elliott run out (Mohammad Nabi) 19
CJ Anderson not out 7
Extras (lb 2, w 4) 6
Total (4 wickets; 36.1 overs; 167 mins) 188
Did not batL Ronchi†, DL Vettori, AF Milne, TG Southee, TA Boult
Fall of wickets 153 (McCullum, 5.5 ov), 2111 (Williamson, 18.4 ov), 3143 (Guptill, 26.4 ov), 4
175 (Elliott, 33.5 ov)
Bowling
Dawlat Zadran 90510, Shapoor Zadran 102451, Hamid Hassan 71360, Mohammad Nabi
7.10391, Samiullah Shenwari 30150
Match details
Toss Afghanistan, who chose to bat
Points New Zealand 2, Afghanistan 0
Player of the match DL Vettori (New Zealand)
Umpires JD Cloete (South Africa) and M Erasmus (South Africa)
TV umpire SJ Davis (Australia)
Match referee DC Boon (Australia)
Reserve umpire RJ Tucker (Australia)
