Nov 13, 1:00 PM
New Zealand Defeat India by 244 Runs to Keep Series Alive
Matt Henry takes six wickets and Will Young scores a century in Mount Maunganui to reduce India's series lead.
New Zealand secured a 244-run victory against India in the fourth One Day International in Mount Maunganui on Friday, driven by a six-wicket spell from Matt Henry and a century by Will Young. The result leaves India leading the five-match series 2-1 heading into Sunday's final match.
Chasing a target of 334 runs, India were dismissed for 89 runs in their innings. Fast bowler Matt Henry dismantled the Indian top order during his opening over, dismissing Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer without any of the three batters scoring a run. Rohit edged his first delivery to slip, Kohli was bowled on his fourth ball, and Iyer was trapped leg-before-wicket.
India failed to rebuild their innings following the early losses, with wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan top-scoring for the visitors with 27 runs. Henry finished with figures of 6 for 27, while teammate Matthew Fisher took 3 for 31 to complete the bowling performance.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand were asked to bat first and posted 333 all out, being dismissed in the final over of their innings. Will Young anchored the innings with 125 runs from 108 balls, including 14 boundaries and four sixes, recording his fifth ODI century. Young had survived two dropped catches on five runs in the second over of the match, put down first by Rohit in the slips and then by Kishan behind the stumps.
Young shared an opening partnership of 85 runs with Tim Seifert, who scored 58 off 39 deliveries. Following the quick dismissals of Nick Kelly and Dean Foxcroft, Young combined with Finn Allen for a 90-run stand off 65 deliveries. Allen contributed 41 runs off 30 balls before India's bowlers pulled back the scoring rate late in the innings.
Among the Indian bowlers, Axar Patel returned figures of 2 for 39 from his ten overs, while Auqib Nabi took 2 for 59 and Gurnoor Brar took 2 for 69. With the third match of the series previously abandoned due to rain, New Zealand cannot win the overall series but can equal the final scoreline to 2-2 in the fifth match scheduled at the same venue on Sunday.
Written by Thorben Thiede thorben.thiede@alpineweekly.com
