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New Zealand tops group and enters semifinals

S. Dinakar

England’s batting comes a cropper against the Kiwi pacemen; Broad inspires a late England fightback

Johannesburg: Despite a late English surge, New Zealand overcame England by four wickets on a juicy Wanderers track to top Group ‘B’ and enter the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy.

The Kiwis, pursuing 147, needed to reach the target in 44.3 overs to finish ahead of England on run-rate. They were home in the 28th over here on Tuesday.

New Zealand, powered by openers Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill, was coasting at one stage before the English pacemen fought back.

James Anderson seamed one away from Guptill 53 (55b, 7x4, 1x6) for Swann to snaffle up the edge at slip. Moments later Swann held an even better catch in the cordon as Ross Taylor nicked a delivery from Broad which left him.

And Grant Elliott could not get out of the way of a wicked climbing delivery from Broad that kissed his gloves. Broad, hitting the deck hard, was extracting disconcerting bounce.

Gareth Hopkins too departed early; a brute of a short ball brushed his gloves on way to ’keeper Eoin Morgan. Broad had scalped four and the Kiwis were 130 for five.

Neil Broom (17) struck some useful blows before being consumed by Ryan Sidebottom.

New Zealand had the rub of the green early on though. Anderson was unlucky not to consume Guptill; the tentative opener edged the paceman more than once. Gradually, Guptill opened out with a few pleasing off-drives.

At the other end, McCullum cut loose. Before he was held at cover off Broad for a rollicking 48 (39b, 4x4, 3x6) McCullum had put the Kiwis on course. The opening pair had whipped up 84 in only 12.3 overs.

Guptill continued to inflict damage. He walked down to Paul Collingwood for a sweetly-struck straight six. And he slammed Broad over his head to reach an entertaining half-century.

The New Zealand pacemen were on the button from the word go after Daniel Vettori won the toss. The conditions were ideal for the pacemen under a cloud cover.

Early strike

Kyle Mills struck in the first over with a mean delivery that took off from short of a good length and moved away from the left-handed Andrew Strauss to find the edge.

There was deviation off the seam for the pacemen. And the odd ball tended to shoot through. Shane Bond got the ball to jag back at the right-handed Joe Denly to rattle the timber. He made further inroads.

The in-form Owais Shah attempted to whip a full length delivery outside the off-stump and ’keeper McCullum pouched the edge.

Paul Collingwood was defiant. He pulled Bond for a six over square-leg when the paceman pitched one short.

Plenty of drama

There was plenty of drama on the field as well. Collingwood left the over’s final delivery — outside the off-stump — off Mills alone and set out for some gardening. In the meantime, McCullum threw down the stumps at the striker’s end.

The third umpire ruled Collingwood out after a Kiwi appeal but then umpire Darryl Harper had seemingly shouted ‘over’ soon after the delivery passed Collingwood. The on-field umpires, Vettori and Collingwood were involved in a discussion before Vettori withdrew the appeal.

SCOREBOARD

England: A. Strauss c McCullum b Mills 0 (2b), J. Denly b Bond 5 (12b, 1x4), O. Shah c McCullum b Bond 3 (10b), P. Collingwood c Taylor b Elliott 40 (58b, 2x4, 3x6), E. Morgan c Taylor b Butler 9 (40b, 1x4), R. Bopara lbw b Bond 30 (51b, 2x4), L. Wright c McCullum b Elliott 4 (6b, 1x4), S. Broad c & b Elliott 1 (3b), G. Swann c McCullum b Elliott 11 (20b, 1x4), R. Sidebottom c Taylor b Vettori 20 (41b, 3x4), J. Anderson (not out) 4 (18b); Extras (b-4, lb-4, w-9, nb-2): 19; Total (in 43.1 overs): 146.

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Strauss), 2-10 (Denly), 3-13 (Shah), 4-50 (Morgan), 5-80 (Collingwood), 6-90 (Wright), 7-95 (Broad), 8-109 (Swann), 9-117 (Bopara).

New Zealand bowling: Mills 10-2-19-1, Bond 10-2-21-3, Franklin 6-0-31-0, Butler 8-1-34-1, Elliott 8-0-31-4, Vettori 1.1-0-2-1.

New Zealand: B. McCullum c Bopara b Broad 48 (39b, 4x4, 3x6), M. Guptill c Swann b Anderson 53 (55b, 7x4, 1x6), N. Broom c Morgan b Sidebottom 17 (36b, 1x4), R. Taylor c Swann b Broad 1 (3b), G. Elliott c Morgan b Broad 3 (11b), G. Hopkins c Morgan b Broad 2 (6b), D. Vettori (not out) 10 (8b, 2x4), J. Franklin (not out) 2 (5b); Extras (lb-7, w-4): 11; Total (for six wkts. in 27.1 overs): 147.

Fall of wickets: 1-84 (McCullum), 2-113 (Guptill), 3-114 (Taylor), 4-118 (Elliott), 5-130 (Hopkins), 6-140 (Broom).

England bowling: Anderson 10-0-53-1, Sidebottom 6-0-32-1, Broad 8.1-1-39-4, Collingwood 3-0-16-0.

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