With an easy win over the Netherlands in the final ODI at Hamilton, New Zealand maintained its perfect record in the CWC Super League. In Ross Taylor’s farewell ODI, the hosts racked up a mammoth 333-8, and despite Stephan Myburgh briefly outstripping his fellow valedictorian with a fast half-century to open the reply, the Dutch were unable to continue the tempo following his removal, falling to a 115-run defeat.
After being invited to bowl first, the visitors once again had the better of the opening exchanges, finding an early breakthrough when Nicholls feathered a top edge through to Scott Edwards off Klaassen in the fifth over, conceding just 32 runs off the powerplay, but there would be no repeat of Saturday’s collapse. Guptill and Young methodically played themselves in, seeing off the new ball and bringing up the fifty partnership in the 15th over, so Taylor would have to wait a long time to take the stage for the final time.
The methodical play by New Zealand batters
The two played conservatively against the Dutch spinners, accumulating methodically; a rare drag-down by Seelaar enabled New Zealand Opener Guptill to reach fifty with pull-through midwicket for the first six of the innings, bringing New Zealand to three figures.
Young would add to the century partnership with the second, a down-the-track drive that lifted Rippon straight, before adding his own fifty in the next over, taking the hosts to 122-1 at half-time.
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New Zealand vs Netherlands: Guard of honor for Ross Taylor
Taylor would be greeted with a guard of honor when he took the field in the Netherlands, but the breakthrough signaled a late fightback from the visitors. Young, too, would reach his century with a six off the luckless Rippon, but Taylor’s innings would be cut short by a top-edged slog that resulted in a high return catch for van Beek and final innings of just 14. Young would bat next, with Dutt pinning him in front on the back foot.
A flurry of wickets followed, with Colin De Grandhomme nicking Clayton Floyd behind and Michael Bracewell stumped down the leg side two balls later, but they had little effect on the scoring, as aggressive cameos from Doug Bracewell and Tom Latham saw the hosts add 65 in the final five overs to post a mountainous 333-8.
Netherlands succumbed to defeat by New Zealand
The target was always likely out of reach on a slick track that was already twisting noticeably and exhibiting symptoms of varied bounce, but Myburgh seemed unfazed. If we go back in time, Myburgh would deliver a classic effort in his final innings. Max O’Dowd had brought up the fifty-run partnership in the sixth over, but he had only contributed eight of those runs as Myburgh took advantage of anything wide or short, scoring 50 off only 33 balls as the Dutch raced to 74 without loss in the powerplay.
Michael Rippon and Logan van Beek would defy the odds, with Rippon sweeping and reversing with ease before succumbing to a fine low catch from Michael Bracewell off Sodhi, and van Beek clearing the ropes three times before being pinned LBW by the same bowler for 32. The visitors had passed 200 runs, but with 121 runs needed off the final ten overs, the game was all but over.
Despite the crowd’s demands for Taylor to bowl, it was Matt Henry who returned to finish with a four-wicket haul and end the game With Aryan Dutt the last man to go, top-edging a draw into the on the side where, appropriately, Ross Taylor grabbed the catch to end the match and series.
Brief scores
Brief scores: New Zealand 333/8 in 50 overs (Will Young 120, Martin Guptill 106; Clayton Floyd 2-41) beat Netherlands 218 in 42.3 overs (Stephen Myburgh 64; Matt Henry 4-36) by 115 runs.
