India yesterday outclassed New Zealand as they coasted to a seven-wicket victory in the second Twenty20 international in Auckland to go 2-0 up in the series.
On an Eden Park ground renowned for its short boundaries, and which produced more than 400 runs in the first match on Friday, New Zealand struggled with the bat and posted a meager 132-5, batting first against a disciplined India attack.
K.L. Rahul cracked his second half-century in as many matches to lead India’s reply in which they reeled in the target for the loss of only three wickets and with 15 balls to spare.
India skipper Virat Kohli could scarcely contain his glee when he lost the toss and heard his opposite number Kane Williamson choosing to bat first.
“Oh happy days,” he said, adding that bowling first is India’s strength and that was the call he would have made had he won the toss.
Even with a low target to chase, India had an early blip when Tim Southee removed Rohit Sharma for 8 and Kohli for 11, but Rahul and Shreyas Iyer were rarely troubled in an 87-run partnership to ensure victory.
Iyer was eventually dismissed for 44, while Rahul was unbeaten on 57.
New Zealand butchered one chance when Blair Tickner was well wide with his throw at the stumps when Rahul was stranded out of his crease after abandoning a quick single.
For a brief moment at the start of the game, it looked as if Williamson may have made the right choice when Martin Guptill smacked sixes off consecutive deliveries from Shardul Thakur in the opening over, but for much of the remainder of the innings it was the India bowlers who were in charge.
When Guptill was dismissed for 33 he had faced 20 deliveries and had only scored off 10 of them.
Tim Seifert (33 not out) and Colin Munro (26) were the only other batsmen to pass 20.
India spinner Ravindra Jadeja had figures of 2-18 off his four overs, while Jasprit Bumrah with 1-21 and Mohammed Shami with 0-22 off their four overs were also miserly.
The third match in the series is in Hamilton, New Zealand, on Wednesday.
S AFRICA V ENGLAND
Reuters, JOHANNESBURG
Quinton de Kock and Dwaine Pretorius yesterday provided some resistance with a 79-run partnership, but then both lost their wickets in quick succession before South Africa were dismissed for 183 in their first innings on the third day of the final Test against England.
It left South Africa in deep trouble at the Wanderers, 217 runs behind after England had scored 400 in their first innings to take a firm grip on the contest.
Lunch was delayed to allow Mark Wood to mop up the South Africa tail as he took 5-46 off 14.3 overs.
De Kock brought up his 21st Test half-century off 72 balls, although the figures belied a watchful approach, and kept up a steady tempo before Wood bowled him for 76.
De Kock survived a review when on 53 after he padded up to a Chris Woakes delivery, but it was going over the stumps.
Pretorius’ fluent strokes took him past his previous Test high score to make 37 before he was caught in the gully by a diving Zak Crawley off Ben Stokes.
The pair provided a brief flicker of hope after South Africa, already 2-1 down in the series and 88-6 overnight, had lost Vernon Philander (4) to the fifth ball of the day.
His loss threatened to continue the collapse of Saturday afternoon.
Wood ensured his five-wicket haul by snagging Dane Paterson for the final wicket.snagging Dane Paterson
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