Michael Roberts
This November 5th evening I had the privilege of watching Kiwi captain Mitcheel Santner nearly snatcha miraculous triumph. As a batsman at No 8 not as a bowler! He thumped sixes and boundaries in the last three overs when it seemed that NZ had no chance of a win. Bowlers Foorde were the principal victims — being thumped …. in the 18th and 19th overs for. 23 and 13 runs respectively!
Arise Sir SANTNER! What majestic striking! A captain’s effort !
And that brings down the curtains on a terrific and entertaining first T20I of the five-match series. The positive is you have to wait less than 24 hours for the second T20I that comes tomorrow right here. We’ll see you then. On behalf of Sudeep and Thilak, this is Sreshth saying bye. Thanks a ton for your company.
Shai Hope, winning captain: [Bowling unit delivered] Communication is key in crucial moments. We didn’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. Mitch’s hitting was scary, but communication was clear and we executed well. [First-innings total] We were few runs short but seeing how the surface was for both teams, it was fine. We had to be more a bit too clinical in the powerplay. I might have gone a bit too hard early since I was eyeing a 200-plus total, so it wasn’t be.”
Mitchell Santner, losing captain: I think the way WI bowled they put pressure on us. We weren’t able to go anywhere. We were reasonably happy with 164 at the halfway mark. [Tough start to the series] You come up against a good side and they bowled what they needed to. But I think, the good start of ours with the ball was outstanding. All our seamers did well. To restrict them, we were happy. The powerplay was good with the bat but those middle overs really slowed us down. [Lessons from tonight] Whenever we are confronted tomorrow on a similar wicket, we’ll take the learnings. But we don’t want to dwell too much on it. We’ll discuss what we can potentially improve on.”
Roston Chase, player of the match: “It came out well from my hand. We learnt from what NZ bowlers did. It was difficult to score when you hit into the wicket and take the pace off. [Lowest total ever defended at Eden Park] It gives us a lot of confidence to start a series with a win. We also spoke about it. It’s also Jason Holder’s birthday so we wanted to give him a good birthday gift.”
10.53pm It looked like a one-sided win going the visitors’ way, but the New Zealand captain’s final act left people in awe of his hitting and West Indies fans very nervous. Eventually, all the good work done by Chase and Seales – who both finished with three-fors – and, to an extent, Forde, ensured West Indies held on for the win.
Looking back, New Zealand’s collapse from 70 for 2 to 107 for 9 proved too much to recover from. Chase strangled the left-hand batters, Seales cranked up the pace, and Forde’s swing movement was wonderful. Credit also to Holder and Shepherd for doing their bit in an XI missing genuine fast bowlers because of injuries and relying heavily on seam-bowling allrounders.
The innings played by Shai Hope (53 off 39) and Rovman Powell (33 off 23) also ended up being crucial. Chase’s 27-ball 28, which at one point looked like a long-drawn bore, proved to be a decent hand once we saw how Conway, Ravindra, Neesham, and Chapman struggled.
Manthan Jain : “With all due respect santner has become a really good stroke maker with bat who can just play proper cricketing shots with elegance and the ball is literally travelling most of the time he connect he should be tried as a pinch hitter at 5 to provide impetus….”
Srineet: “The West Indies T20 team are a force to reckon with even with some big names retired or not in the reckoning!”
Frase: “Congratulations to the West Indies, great defensive bowling performance! Although, shame to see a poor umpiring call in the final over that would have added some real jeopardy. Good game to Santner as well. Bring on the next game.”
West Indies win by seven runs! Full outside off and lifted over cover! Santner gets four but he looks awfully disappointed because he knows he could’ve pulled off a one-in-a-million kind of heist. West Indies go 1-0 up
Full ball around off, and he drills it past the non-striker towards mid-off, where Forde dives to his left to stop a certain four. Brilliant effort – he gets a high-five for that. Hopefully, he hasn’t hurt his shoulder in the process; he’s only just returned from a shoulder injury
Reprieve for Santner, and they’ll get two! Full and wide, pace taken off. Santner drives away from his body and slices it. King runs back from cover and attempts a one-handed stunner, but the ball pops out! Fifty up as well!
Sunitha : “Poor captaincy from Shai Hope. He is going to the bowlers after every ball. That will only add to the pressure to everyone in the field”
game still very much on! Short of good length. Getting big on Santner. But he stays in his crease and uses his bottom hand to shellack a six over wide long on!
short ball around leg stump and Santner semi-ducks under it. The umpire calls it a legal ball and the crowd gives out a big boo. Replays suggest that should’ve been called a wide.
full and wide outside off. Santner attempts to cream a drive through the covers but he’s been beaten. On another day that could’ve taken an edge down for four. Today, it goes into Hope’s gloves
Umair: “I take my comments back. Take a bow Santner for making a match of it. NZ can win this”
he’ll keep strike and NZ need 20 off the final over. Short ball outside off and nurdled away to deep point
play and miss as Santner misses this rising delivery. Back of a length ball originating on leg stump but angling towards off. Santner backed away and tried to slap it over cover but alas for NZ.
good length ball on a fourth-stump line. Mistimes a flat-batted shot to mid off. Turns the single down
magnifico! Low full toss around leg stump and Santner brings out the high-elbow checked drive that is hit straight as an arrow. Nearly went for six.
placed to perfection! Back of a length ball outside off but Santner moves to the off side, then tiptoes, and then slaps a cut between deep point and deep backward point. Minimal gap between the two outfielders but that’s enough for Santner!
another four! Full and wide outside off. Santner throws his hands at this, and gets a thick edge that sends the ball past short third man!
Birthday boy will bowl the penultimate over. Santner on strike.
Frase: “I think of Mitchell Santner as a preying mantis. Seizes on any opportunity in a fraction of a second, all knees and elbows. Pretty different and awesome to watch!”
full around leg. Tucked to square leg for a single and he’ll keep strike. Smart cricket. 23 off the over
beats the diving mid-off fielder! Length ball angling away from Santner. But he flat-bats it past his non-striker. Powerfully struck!
Forde conceded nine runs in his first three overs. But he’s gone for 18 in this one. Plus two balls to go. Field adjustments, discussions happening before the fifth ball.
streaky four! He digs it in short. Santner attempts a pull. Top-edged over the keeper. Four more to the total
tracer bullet stuff! Pace back on. Length ball on middle. Santner times a flick gloriously and the fielder at deep square leg running around and putting in a dive can’t stop the ball.
is there hope!? Massive roar as Santner clocks Forde for six over long on. Slower ball, length ball on off, begging to be hit and Santner obliges. Taken in the crowd by a gentleman
Srineet: “There is too much sameness in the Black caps T20 side. Middle-order left handers who cannot clear the boundary at will. They are really missing Glenn Phillips who offers variety in batting, bowling and fielding.”
something for the home fans to cheer about! Short and wide, with pace off. Santner tiptoes and slaps a four over the infield and beats both deep point and deep extra cover
