Day 1 report, warm-up match: New Zealand begin India tour with attacking approach

New Zealand lead by 295 runs at the end of Day One against Mumbai

New Zealand show a different approach of cricket on Day One of the three-day warm-up game before first Test to be held at Kanpur on September 22. The Kiwis wanted everyone to get accustomed to the pitch conditions at Feroz Shah Kotla. At the end of Day One the visitors have a lead of 295 runs over Mumbai‘s Ranji team. Mumbai lost their first wicket on the third ball of the innings. New Zealand strike bowler Trent Boult got the wicket of Jay Bista in the very first over putting pressure on Kaustubh Pawar and Armaan Jaffer. The green top seemed to trouble the batsmen with the new ball. However, the Kiwis scored at more than 4 runs per over, at times the run-rate was hovering over 5.

New Zealand strikes bowlers— Boult and Neil Wagner. As soon as the wicket fell in the first over, Mumbai top order batsmen Pawar and Jaffer came under pressure. Boult-Wagner bowled four over maiden on trot. The new ball seemed to make the batsmen uncomfortable. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner too bowled a tight line and length but Doug Bracewell was hit for boundaries in his two overs. Although, it is too soon to judge his bowling skills on subcontinent conditions. It will be interesting to watch how Bracewell bowls on Day Two.

Day One saw a different approach to the longer version of the game from the BlackCaps. A total number of 9 sixes featured in their innings. Skipper Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi struck 2 sixes each in the innings. Martin Guptill, Santner, Craig too got struck the ball over the fence once in their innings. Guptill even got out early trying to attack the new ball without settling in. But, Sodhi stole the show by scoring runs at a strike of almost 150. Once settled Williamson and Santner too scored almost run-a-ball.

Tom Latham’s form is a big plus point for New Zealand going into the game. Latham retired after scoring 55 from 91 balls. Wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling too looked comfortable at the crease, but he retired a bit early. Watling scored 21 runs from 52 balls.

But, the main highlight of the Day One was Balwinder Sandhu. The 29-year-old first got the wicket of opener Guptill. Sandhu made the batsmen work hard for runs. He broke the partnership of Latham and Williamson coming back into the attack. He got the priced wicket of New Zealand skipper. He attracted a few many eye balls with his performance of Day One of the warm-up game.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand 324 for 7 (Tom Latham 55, Kane Williamson 50; Balwinder Sandhu 2 for 21, Siddhesh Lad 1 for 34) lead Mumbai 29 for 1 (Arman Jaffer 24 (38), Kaustubh Pawar 5 (37); Trent Boult 1 for 5) by 295 runs.

(Arun Rawal, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a daydreamer, movie buff, and cricket fanatic. He could not play cricket, so did the next best thing, writing for it. He loves to play the flick shot over square leg, and believes Sachin Tendulkar is God. His Twitter handle is @ArunRawal93)