Three quick wickets of MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli from pacer Mitchell McClenaghan halts India’s run chase
Napier: Virat Kohli’s century was in vain as India lost the first one-day international against New Zealand by 24 runs at the McLean Park here yesterday.
Mitchell McClenaghan celebrates the wicket of Rohit Sharma yesterday
Corey Anderson’s powerful late hitting led New Zealand to 292 for seven, the all-rounder’s 40-ball unbeaten 68 adding to Kane Williamson’s 71 and Ross Taylor’s 55. Kohli made a sparkling 123 off 110 balls but Mitchell McClenaghan took 4-68, including the key scalps of Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, to set up victory.
New Zealand were put in to bat but Jesse Ryder wasted no time in taking the attack to India’s bowlers, thumping the fifth ball he faced for six and hitting three fours off Mohammed Shami, who had the last laugh when he bowled the left-hander for 18. Anderson and Luke Ronchi found the boundary with regularity as India conceded 39 runs in the 44th and 45th overs.
Kohli’s ton in vain
Kohli and Dhoni looked to be getting India back on track, though, as they put on 95 in 14.1 overs. Kohli took 58 balls to reach 50 having hit Nathan McCullum for six. He brought up his hundred with a boundary off Tim Southee.
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India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni departs. Pics/Getty Images
Dhoni made 40 from 45 balls and was starting to build momentum when he was late on a short ball from McClenaghan, gloving the ball onto his neck and down the leg side where ’keeper Ronchi took a good catch.
McClenaghan removed Jadeja in the same over and his next brought him the key wicket of Kohli, who had struck a six and a four, but then drove straight to Ryder.
McCullum delighted
NZ captain Brendon McCullum said it was “a captain’s nightmare” when Kohli and Dhoni were in full flight but he had faith in McClenaghan. “He’s in the team to attack and take wickets. The message was pretty simple, ‘try and find a way to take a wicket. Be aggressive as you can and be as hostile as you can and if it falls your way, great’.
He was outstanding,” McCullum said. “The result is huge. I am delighted with today’s performance. There are still four tough games to go and India will get better as the tour goes on. But there is a little bit we can improve on as well,” he added.
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