updated at 10pm Bangladesh time
A warm welcome to all CricInfo users from the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka. As I write this, the Wills International Cup is about to get underway, with New Zealand taking on Zimbabwe in the opening encounter.
The two captains, Stephen Fleming and Alistair Campbell, were out in the middle a short while ago, and Campbell won the toss, electing to bat. It's a bright sunny day in Dhaka, the boundaries are short, and the pitch looks to be an absolute beauty. The outfield has dried up nicely after some rain in the previous few days, and has a lovely smooth covering of grass, interrupted only by the layer of carpet at either end with the sponsors logo painted on.
There were a few mild surprises in the team news, with New Zealand giving debuts to three players, Matthew Bell from Wellington and Mark Bailey and Alex Tait. from Northern Districts. Zimbabwe's line up contained newly qualified all rounder Neil Johnson, tormentor of Sachin Tendulkar just a fortnight ago, making his ODI debut.
10 overs: Zimbabwe off to a cracker
Led by skipper Alistair Campbell, Zimbabwe got off to a flying start here. The opening pair of Grant Flower and Campbell set about their task right from the start, with Flower lofting the very first delivery of the match over mid wicket for two. Simon Doull worked up a lively pace in his opening over, but still saw 10 runs conceded, four of them leg-byes which ran easily down to the short fine leg boundary.
The second over saw the dramatic dismissal of Flower. Playing forward in defense to a good length delivery on off stump from Allott, he was unlucky to see Craig McMillan scoop up a brilliant diving catch at point.
Debutant Neil Johnson came out to join his skipper, who was merciless in his treatment of a succession of overpitched deliveries from both Allott and Doull, driving beautifully straight down the ground, and square of the wicket. Both batsmen were looking to come onto the front foot at every opportunity, what with the wicket being easy paced, but initially, only Campbell was able to dominate, as Johnson found himself tucked up on his leg stump a number of times.
As Campbell's confidence grew, he even elected on one occasion to charge down the wicket at Doull, but chose do so a little too early, giving the bowler enough time to adjust the length of his delivery. Doull may have won that round, but the honours went to Campbell when he effortlessly lofted the very next ball over long on for four. That brought up the Zimbabwe fifty in just 6.3 overs.
Shortly thereafter, Campbell was somewhat fortunate to survive a half chance when he was on 39. Looking to work Simon Doull through mid wicket, he used a little too much bottom hand, and the ball flew off the leading edge. Craig McMillan at short mid wicket was a little slow to react, and as a result saw the ball fall just short of his outstretched arm as he ran back and dived in a valiant attempt.
The change of bowling which had perhaps been demanded a lot earlier finally arrived in the tenth over, when Fleming brought on his experienced medium paced pseudo leg-spinner, Chris Harris. Harris made an immediate impression, finding his length, and finding the pitch suited to his slow drifters. Neither batsman was able to do more than just work the ball around in the infield.
A double change was effected when Fleming brought on new boy Alex Tait for his first over in one day cricket, bowling from the pavilion end. Tait looks to be a useful medium pacer, and found his length right away. He should have had a wicket with his second ball, but Nathan Astle managed to make a complete hash of a skied drive from Neil Johnson at mid off. His error was compounded when Johnson lofted the very next delivery over mid wicket for six, just failing to clear the fencing at the base of the stands. As if that wasn't sufficient excitement for the enthusiastic crowd here at the Bangabandu Stadium, Johnson swung across the line at Tait's very next delivery, and saw his stumps castled, leaving Zimbabwe interestingly poised at 75-2 after 11.3 overs.
The loss of wickets will not worry Zimbabwe too much, they have a deep batting line up, and a good start should leave them in a strong position to build on. The wicket is easy, the outfield seems to be well greased, and the New Zealand bowling attack far from threatening.
Murray Goodwin came out to join Campbell at the fall of Johnson's wicket, and immediately found that Chris Harris was not too easy to get away. The double change had also resulted in Campbell's scoring being restricted, as both bowlers maintained a very tidy line and length. The frustration soon became obvious, when some hesitation and a mix up in the calling resulted in a near run out, but McMillan, having an up and down game in the field, sent his throw to the wrong end.
Campbell finally reached a well deserved fifty in the 15th over, as a misfield helped him earn a boundary through mid wicket. Zimbabwe were looking very well poised at this stage, but then Murray Goodwin played a loose shot, pulling uppishly straight to Craig McMillan at mid wicket. Andy Flower was the new man in, but he was made to wait by the New Zealand fielders, who, much to the chagrin of umpire Bucknor, took an impromptu drinks break.
The next over saw the introduction of genuine spin, in the form of left arm orthodox bowler Daniel Vettori. With the fireworks now at an end, Zimbabwe concentrated on picking up the singles, and consolidated their position, until drinks were taken (served from a giant can of Pepsi) after 17 overs, with the score on 99-3.
Despite a delay in removing the giant inflatable Pepsi can drinks cart, play eventually got underway after the drinks interval, with Vettori and Tait resuming as before the break.
The two left handers, Campbell and Flower are clearly playing to a game plan, content to just work the singles and twos as New Zealand have set the field fairly deep after the initial onslaught. Tait has had an excellent debut so far, managing to bowl for the most part a tidy line and length, at the sort of gentle medium pace normally associated with the likes of Gavin Larsen. New Zealanders no doubt will be thrilled if Tait can achieve as much as Larsen did for them.
At the other end, Daniel Vettori is starting to find a little bit of turn in from outside the off stump. However, for all the pressure from tight bowling, and some very sharp work in the infield, Zimbabwe are still well on top, at 107-3 after 20 overs.
The stadium is filling up slowly but surely now, as the sun continues to shine brightly down on us. The capacity is estimated at around 40,000, and the ground is currently around half full, with more expected to file in for the evening session under lights.
With Vettori and Harris bowling in tandem after the 20th over, things have slowed down significantly. The Black Caps, several of whom are sporting white hats, are clearly trying to keep Andy Flower on strike, with extra men up in the circle when he's on strike, trying to prevent the single.
At this point, there's actually a lot more action going on in the stands, where the crowd in the East stand in particular are more interested in fanning themselves with the ``4'' and ``6'' placards they all have, rather than actually paying too much attention to the play.
The mid wicket boundaries are the outposts of the local blue shirted riot police. We've seen them on the streets, during the hartals (strikes), sitting in the lane dividers, reading newspapers, with their shields and sticks at hand, but today they seem quite content to sit back and relax with their ``6'' placards. There has, we must add, been absolutely no indication that there ever will be any sort of trouble - the guards and police are perhaps here more to ensure that there is not total chaos when the crowds move in and out of the stadium.
Back on the field, Vettori and Harris continue to keep the batsmen tied down, and tied up. Neither Campbell nor Flower seem quite sure at any time whether to come forward, or rock onto the back foot, and we've seen numerous occasions when both batsmen have had to check their drives, and been beaten looking for the cut. Most of the credit has to go to the two bowlers, who have done a superb job of varying their pace, taking advantage of the ball which is now a little softer than it was in the initial overs. After 25 overs, Zimbabwe now 121 for 3.
30 overs - White Hats Let Black Caps Down
Three of the eleven New Zealanders on the field are wearing white hats, rather than the Black Caps we have come to expect of the Kiwis. It can't be much of a co-incidence that those three have been perhaps the weakest links on the field today.
Although Nathan Astle came on to bowl the 27th over, and did an excellent job, in the very next over, bowled by Daniel Vettori, he spilt an absolute sitter in the covers when Alistair Campbell drove uppishly, not quite reaching the pitch of the ball. That was Astle's second miss of the match, and when added to McMillan's drop early on, and a misfield by Stephen Fleming, the White Hats could cause the Black Caps more problems than they would care to have.
With Vettori and Astle bowling very tightly however, neither Campbell nor Andy Flower have had the opportunity to play their shots - having just written that, Andy Flower has just come down the wicket to a flighted delivery from Vettori, and hoiked it through mid wicket for the first boundary in 15 overs. Zimbabwe have now finished the thirtieth over, at 135-3, with Andy Flower now clearly marked out to play the aggressive role, whilst Campbell continues to pick up the singles, and settle down for the long haul.
40th Over, Zim 195/3: Campbell Camped Out as Flower Flowers.
Alistair Campbell and Andy Flower continue to keep the scoreboard ticking over, with Campbell content to push for singles, and Flower opening his shoulders a little. Flower has been particularly keen to try the reverse sweep, and after several failed attempts, he finally managed to secure himself a boundary when in Vettori's final over, he just beat the straining legs of Simon Doull at the point boundary.
Flower has also started to use his feet a lot more, coming down the wicket to Chris Harris and driving him beautifully through extra cover for four, and following that up with a superbly timed sweep backward of square, as Zimbabwe slowly begin to re-assert themselves.
With Vettori having completed a fine spell, Fleming has now brought Alex Tait back into the attack. Interestingly, Tait is bowling a decidedly leg side line, and although he started his first over back very well, he strayed slightly down leg side for the final delivery, and allowed Andy Flower to bring up a very well deserved half century with a delicate glance down to fine leg for four.
As we now approach the forty over mark here in Dhaka, both batsman are now making it very obvious that their intent is to pillage the attack. With Vettori and Harris, the two most impressive bowlers so far today, now out of the attack, they clearly feel more comfortable taking a few liberties, Flower continuing his delightful innings with a tremendous six over long off from the bowling of Tait.
Not to be outdone, Nathan Astle has continued to entertain us, on this occasion, attempting a slower delivery, but succeeding only in bowling a head high full toss at Flower's head. The batsman, taken by surprise, was unable to take full advantage, and was further dismayed to find that Peter Willey had not ruled the delivery a no-ball.
Allott has now replaced Tait at the far end, and Alistair Campbell's eyes have lit up at the prospect, with the Zimbabwe skipper having been rather fortunate to escape after aiming an airy drive at an overpitched ball just outside off, and missing completely. In and around that, Allott has struggled to maintain a line, as was the case with his earlier spell, with one ball wide down the leg side, and the next on a length outside off. To his credit, we're seeing him bowl a better length this time around, keeping a clearly frustrated Campbell guessing as to whether to go forward or back, and the fortieth over ends with Zimbabwe at 195-3.
41st Over: I don't know what it was Andy Flower had to drink during the break, but he's just played the most incredible and immaculate drive through extra cover, albeit off the rather innocuous bowling of Nathan Astle. Zimbabwe are clearly aiming to score in the high 200's, and with Andy Flower in such superb nick, and Alistair Campbell providing champion support, there's little reason to expect anything less.
42nd Over: The lights have just been switched on, 8 bulbs on each of the four arrays at the moment, as we slowly settle into twilight here in Dhaka. As the horizon fades into oblivion, the hapless Geoff Allott appears to be fading with it, his figures now 1-40 after just 6 overs, not what New Zealand wanted from their strike bowler.
43rd Over: Cricket is of course all about partnerships, they are the cornerstone of the game, and this has been as good an example of one as you can expect to see. Naturally, having just said that, we've seen the end of Andy Flower. Leaning right back and away to the leg side, he was attempting to force a ball on off stump from Nathan Astle through the covers, but managed only to scoop it up to Chris Harris in the covers. The end of a superb innings, it really has been a pleasure being here to watch it, and the new man Craig Evans will be hoping he can take full advantage of the platform which has been afforded him. In the meantime, the floodlights have started warming up, and we're now bathed in blinding white light. I for one pity any fielder who has to take a high catch this evening.
44th Over: Chris Harris is now back in the attack, with just two of his 10 overs remaining. Evans on strike, plays a superbly cheeky little paddle sweep down to fine leg for two. Harris, rolling his fingers over the ball, comes back well from that though, getting one to bounce up a bit at him. Again though, Harris seems to be bowling a bit of a leg side line, something we've seen perhaps a bit too much of from the Kiwi bowlers today.
45th Over: Astle continues at the Pavilion End, bowling over the wicket to Evans, and round the wicket to Campbell. And out of the blue, we've just seen the most superb shot from Campbell, picking up a length ball on middle and off stump, and leant into it nicely, and lofted it straight back over the bowlers head for six. If anyone tells you you can't see quality cricket shots in One-Day Internationals, refer them to that shot. Zimbabwe are now following the old adage of getting bat on ball, a run a ball, and then taking everything else as a bonus, and at 227/4 after 45 overs, who can argue with them?
50 overs: Zimbabwe falter, but set an imposing total
46th Over: The crowd is now buzzing with anticipation, to a man willing Alistair Campbell to reach his century. It's been a very good over from Chris Harris though, not giving the batsman anything to work with, forcing them to place their shots and earn every single run. Unfortunately for New Zealand, Harris' spell has come to an end.
47th Over: Simon Doull now replaces Nathan Astle, and New Zealand will be looking to their star paceman to fire the ball in right up at the blockhole, and cramp the batsmen for room. With his second delivery, Doull has delivered the goods, although he owes much to an absoutely brilliant catch by Daniel Vettori at long off, taken perhaps an inch or less above the ground as he dived forward after running in from the boundary. He may have made it look a little harder than it was, but New Zealand will take the wickets any which way at the moment. Craig Wishart, who had a lot of success recently against India, comes in at the non strikers end.
48th Over: A big gamble here by Stephen Fleming, with Geoff Allott returning to the fold, with Campbell, stranded at the non-strikers end, on 99 not out. A single off the first delivery by Wishart will give Campbell the strike, and at once we're hearing the crowd, now illuminated by the powerful floodlights, stand up and applaud to a man. The second delivery is just short of a length on middle stump, and although tucked up somewhat by it, Campbell manages to work it behind square for a single, reaching his third one day international century, and earning a standing ovation from the 25,000 strong crowd. Allott yet again finding it very difficult to maintain a consistent line, and now that I've typed that, as always seems to happen, Allott has fired in an absolutely perfect faster delivery, a yorker, and Alistair Campbell has finally been dismissed, clean bowled, for 100. Zimbabwe finish the 48th over on 240 for 6, and well on their way to a very competitive total.
49th Over: The bat now being flung about with gay abandon by both batsmen, putting everything into each shot, hoping to find the boundary as often as possible. Doull appears to be varying his length in an effort to keep the batsmen guessing, but there's at least a single off every delivery, and that's been complemented by a very well placed drive behind square by Streak.
50th Over: Coming into the final over at 248 for 6, the pressure is really all on Geoff Allott, and he starts off with a wide, perhaps the last thing his captain would have wanted. The next delivery though, just angled across Heath Streak, and playing a flashy drive he finds the edge, and Parore completes a regulation catch. Out goes Streak, and in comes Strang, with 5 deliveries to go. Zimbabwe have made a bit of a hash of the last 3 or 4 overs here, and they'll be looking to Strang to guide them up to that 260 mark. A single apiece for the two batsmen brings up the 250 with 3 deliveries left. The predictions in the scorers' box up here range from 250 all out, to 268. The fourth and fifth deliveries produced just a single each, but Craig Wishart struck the final delivery of the innings a long way over long on for six. He moved across his stumps and nonchalantly lofted it over the fence and into the crowd.
Zimbabwe will be a little disappointed with their final total of 258. The way this wicket is playing, and with such a pacy outfield, conventional wisdom (as defined by CricInfo staff), suggests that a total in excess of 270 is required to be safe. Still, we should be in for a cracking evening session, and we look forward to seeing you with us on CricInfo when play resumes after 40 minutes.
10 overs: Zimbabwe starve Kiwis of runs
New Zealand got off to an unconvincing start chasing a substantive Zimbabwe target of 259. Openers Astle Bell and Astle failed to satisfy a boisterous crowd with the now traditional early throws of the bat. Bell fell the fourth over to a an uppish but unremarkable delivery from Johnson. Worse was to come when Fleming sent Astle back looking for a second run, and Astle was ignominiously run out. Zimbabwe's tight bowling and lightning quick fielding has made the outlook for New Zealand, at this early stage, fairly bleak.
Over 11 (Streak): Fleming picks up a run, while Astle wants the second, Fleming sends him back, resulting in Astle's tragic runout. McMillan plays the rest of the balls quietly.
Over 12 (Olonga): Fleming plays two balls quietly and then swings a ball to square leg. Two singles result off the last two balls.
Over 13 (Johnson): Nothing spectacular in this over except for the last ball. An overpitched ball, smashed to covers by mcMillan.
Over 14 (Olonga): New Zealand improving their run rate slowly. Fleming gets the runs flowing in with a single to thirdman off the first ball. McMillan gets a good ball on yorker length, turned to fine leg for couple of runs. McMillan can't pick the gap from the third ball, and the fourth runs off his pads to thirdman. Olongo is bowling very fast and straight. Fleming hits the next ball very hard which ricochetes off the close-in short cover fielder, to midoff for a single. McMillan picks up an easy run off the last ball, to point.
Over 15 (Johnson): McMillan turns the first ball onto square leg but Fleming is tied down off the next ball. Johnson is bowling over the stumps. A short ball from him but Fleming can't get the ball away. Ball goes to short covers. Next ball is clipped to square leg, but Zimbabwean fielding set up is very good. More importantly, the bowlers are bowling to the field. The next ball is right on the stumps, played straight to midon. Last ball is also right on dot, played to point. An excellent over from Johnson, in the end.
Over 16 (Olonga): Overpitched on the off, played to midwicket by McMillan. Enough time for two runs. Olonga is bowling very fast. McMillan gets onto his backfoot, plays to sweeper covers for a single. Fleming defends this ball on the stumps. Next ball is played nicely to midoff, but cannot get any runs. Midoff is now moved to long off. Fleming plays the next ball midwicket and dashes for a quick run. Ball straying down the legside, and McMillan plays this ball very stylishly to deep square leg for a couple.
A giant sized Pepsi can being carried into the field for drinks.
Over 17 (Strang): Paul Strang brought on and he soon gets into rhythm. Fleming plays the first four balls quietly before playing the fifth ball to long off. McMillan sweeps the last ball to square leg for a couple.
Over 18 (Whittall): Double change as off spinner Andy Whittall brought on. First ball defended, while the second ball is milked for a single by Fleming. Campbell takes sufficient time to change the fielding as McMillan gets the next ball to long on for another easy run. Whittall now comes round the wicket and raps Fleming on the pads. The appeal goes unheard. Fleming turns the next ball to deep midwicket for a run. McMillan plays the next ball firmly to deep midoff. McMillan has been batting very sensibly.
Over 19 (Strang): McMillan pushes ball to onside, then sweeps the next ball to square leg. they run two runs fast as the throw comes in straight to the keeper. But mcMillan is safe in. Another ball on the legs, turned to fineleg. It was a full toss. Fleming takes the next ball on the full, played to deep midwicket. McMillan picks up an easy run off the next ball. Still runs coming only in singles and occasional twos.
Over 20 (Whittall): Turned to square leg by McMillan for a quick run, the next two balls are dots. After another ball, Fleming manages a run. McMillan picks up a run - as usual - off every opportunity.
30 overs: Kiwis still in touch...just
New Zealand's poor start became a sluggish first half as further wickets fell. Macmillan was taken by Flower off Strang in the 21st over. Next up to bat Parore failed to make any more impact on the attack than his compatriots, the pair adding 35 runs as the run rate required began to creep over 7. Goodwin came on at the pavillion end in the 27th over and bowled a tidy medium pace which complemented a typically mean Strang spell at the opposite end. But New Zealand's steady if meagre accumulation of runs kept them within reach of Zimbabwe whose own run rate had began to tail off rapidly in the same stage of their innings.
40 overs: Kiwis still bogged down
Fleming and Parore, though in little danger of getting out, trundled gently to a total 175 at the 40 over mark. Parore's most effective shot, the sweep, threatened to lift the gloom for New Zealand, but he never made sufficiently good contact to beat the leg side field. Indeed, he was almost caught off Strang attempting to clear the boundary. His partner Fleming never really looked like makign quick runs, failing to time his shots. The crowd warmed to a cracking Parore cover drive in the 33rd over off Goodwin, but had to wait another five overs before the next boundary which came off a wide delivery from Olonga and the edge of Fleming's bat. Olonga's failure to find his line in his return spell was New Zealand's only hope of bringing a wayward run rate down to realistic levels.
50 overs: Last gasp victory for New Zealand in the opening game
A run chase that never really started was given a boost by Fleming when he hit a straightish one hand six back over Johnson's head. It had an immediate impact on the crowd - one of the pitch side spectators took a direct hit. Fleming's new found confidence lasted only five more balls when Whitall bowled him and seemingly sealed the Kiwis fate. Chris harris looked much more the part even with his first swing of the bat, and spectators were left to rue why he hadnt been introduced earlier when his positive attitude might have made a more significant impact on this game. Three fours off Johnson, two to the leg side and one skied through the covers left New Zealand needin 22 off the last two overs. A quick single left Harris facing Streak, who bowled a quick ball into the blockhole and followed through with words of warning for Harris. The next ball seemed to clear the boundary when Whittal failed to hold on to it at long on, but umpire Bucknor signalled four after consultation with the third umpire. Streak bowled out the over only conceding three further runs leaving Harris to face the last over from Johnson. Johnson's first, a no ball, conceded a single to Harris. The second came off Tait's inside edge for a four at fine leg. The third was dropped at square leg and conceded two. The next two were singles. The sixth was a bye as Harris ran through to the batsman's end. As the orgnaisers were contemplating a bowl out, which would decide a tied game, Harris dispatched the seventh and last imperiously through the covers for four.
Source: CricInfo
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