Allen, Latham, Bracewell help New Zealand seal series after bowlers' show
Dockrell's highest ODI score, Adair's double-strike at the start of the chase in vain for Ireland
Dockrell's highest ODI score, Adair's double-strike at the start of the chase in vain for Ireland
Scorer: Ranjith P | Commentator: @PeterDellaPenna
6.07 pm So New Zealand claim another 10 points in 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifying. They move up to 80 points with eight wins from eight matches and sit tied with West Indies for fifth place on the CWC Super League table. But West Indies have played 21 matches with eight wins and 13 losses. New Zealand are in outstanding position to keep climbing up the table to formally qualify for the 2023 ICC World Cup. Ireland's hopes of direct qualification continue to fade though as they stay in ninth place on 68 points having completed 20 of their 24 matches. Reminder that only the top seven on the table plus hosts India (regardless of where they finish in the competition) will gain direct qualification to the World Cup. The final two spots will be decided in a 10-team repechage World Cup Qualifier in early 2023. England currently lead the table with 125 points coming from 12 wins and a no result in their 18 games while Bangladesh have 120 points from 12 wins and six losses.
Post-match presentation time! Here's Player of the Match Michael Bracewell: "I think today the bowlers got off to a great start there. Matt Henry set the tone with three maidens in a row. Jacob Duffy on debut was outstanding at the top there as well so it made it a lot easier to come into the attack with Ireland under pressure. It's a different wicket and spun a little bit more for us today. We were able to extract turn from it today and I was able to take wickets but it was a total team effort. I'm really pleased that I was able to see the game through and be there at the end. It was a game and a wicket where the bowling side always feels they have a chance."
Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie: "It's always tricky when the ball is nipping and spinning 20 overs into a game. We had to batten down the hatches and try to get a score. It still wasn't good enough but if we had gotten 20 or 30 more we might have been closer to a win. I'll have to practice my tossing over the next few days. If we had gotten someone to bat with George for a longer period of time, we might have gotten to 230 or 240. He's in really good form. We have to come back Friday and try to get a win. We could have scrapped a bit more. There are some positives out there but it's still a loss and we're disappointed."
New Zealand captain Tom Latham: "It was a great performance. Winning the toss was obviously pretty crucial but we still had to put the ball in the right areas. Matt Henry getting wickets in the Powerplay was important and then the spinners got some grip. We got off to a shaky start in the chase but Finn Allen played well and we managed to get over the line in the end. It's important in the middle stages to take wickets and obviously the pitch assisted today but we still had to put the ball in the right areas. It was a little bit of a shaky start in the chase but the way we were able to absorb pressure, I thought Finn Allen played outstandingly well. Michael Bracewell showed outstanding composure at the end. He's building a lot of confidence and hopefully he can take that on for a few more months."
That'll do it for today's live coverage. Come back Friday for the finale in this ODI series. On behalf of Deiva Muthu, I'm Peter Della Penna. Take care!
The opener scored his maiden ODI fifty in only his second game to rescue New Zealand from a perilous 0 for 2
Dockrell's highest ODI score, Adair's double-strike at the start of the chase in vain for Ireland