Manchester: Skipper Kane Williamson patient knock of 148 off 154 balls (14 fours, 1 six), Ross Taylor 69 off 95 (7 fours) helped New Zealand take their score to challenging 291/8 in 50 overs against West Indies in the ICC Cricket World Cup on Saturday.
Earlier, West Indies won the toss and opted to bowl put in New Zealand to bat. New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro started with a disaster after Sheldon Cottrell who gave a breakthrough scalping Guptill in the very first ball of the first over for a duck and then in the same over also sent Munro without scoring a run. With Guptill gone Munro came in and along with skipper Kane Williamson put up just 7 runs before Munro also went out for a duck in the fifth ball of the first over in Cottrell’s spell.
With two wickets falling in quick succession, New Zealand were in deep trouble now, but then Ross Taylor and Williamson played cautiously and further shaped the innings with Williamson bringing his fifty in the 24th over and in the next ball Ross Taylor smashed Roach for four racing towards half century. The duo also went on to add 100 stand partnership in the 25th over. With partnership going strong between Williamson and Taylor went on take score to 160 run for the third wicket. (UNI)
