25 overs New Zealand 120 for 2 (Taylor 42*, Williamson 39*) v India
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
India got off to their best start of the series, keeping the New Zealand openers quiet with tight lines, but ran into the in-form pair of Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, who rebuilt with an unbeaten partnership of 79 at 6.23 an over to take New Zealand to 120 by the end of 25 overs. This was the first time India didn't concede a boundary in the first over; in fact it took New Zealand 32 balls and a risk to hit one.
India were helped by conditions both underfoot and overhead that allowed just enough movement to make carefree stroke-play difficult. It didn't help the batsmen that Westpac Stadium presented the lushest outfield and an even lusher square that made piercing the gaps difficult. The only boundaries that came in the first 14 overs had to go over the infield; Taylor managed to pierce a gap for a four for the first time in the 15th over.
Credit belongs to the bowlers and the captain too. Mohammed Shami, in particular, was exceptional with his discipline. He began with successive maidens, and conceded the first run off the bat with the last ball of his third over, that too a thick edge from Jesse Ryder. He was helped by MS Dhoni, who gave him a gully and a 7-2 off-side field, eliminating Ryder's favourite scoring area given the slow square. Shami still had to stay away from the pads, which he did.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar remained good at the other end, and produced the edge to get Ryder. Martin Guptill batted himself into a hole, unable to get singles or boundaries, reaching 2 off 20 before desperation took over. It will frustrate him much more that he had finally begun to look good and had enjoyed a drop by the time he got out. Varun Aaron, who had dropped Guptill in the 10th over, got the wicket in the 13th via a strange stop-shot, chipped to mid-on.
The old firm of Taylor and Williamson came together at 41 for 2 with 311 runs scored in each other's company over three partnerships in the series, and at least a fifty put up on all three occasions. Taylor began the turnaround with two scorching drives, one to the left of cover and the second to the right, in the 15th over. The second of those brought up 250 runs for Taylor in the series. He is the only one in the New Zealand top seven to have not hit a six.
That over turned things around for New Zealand. R Ashwin had also to be brought on, and there was nothing for him in the pitch. Williamson frustrated him by using his feet and reaching the pitch of the ball almost every time. On the odd occasion that he was beaten in the flight - like in the 16th over - he recovered well. Runs now came easily with Aaron missing the accuracy of the opening bowlers. When Aaron conceded the second boundary of the 21st over, the first time that Taylor had gone aerial, the two had brought up another fifty-run stand.
Signs were ominous for India as Williamson played his lovely trademark chip over extra cover in the 24th over to hit his second boundary. After 25 overs, Williamson was 11 short of reaching a fifth successive half-century; only Andrew Jones has scored more for New Zealand on the bounce. Taylor had reached a run-a-ball 42.
Taylor, Williamson rebuild after slow start
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Taylor, Williamson rebuild after slow start
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Taylor, Williamson rebuild after slow start
