New Zealand coach hopeful of openers regaining form

Published June 26, 2019
New Zealand coach Gary Stead. — AP/File
New Zealand coach Gary Stead. — AP/File

BIRMINGHAM: New Zealand coach Gary Stead is confident opening batsmen Martin Guptill and Colin Munro will rediscover their scoring touch as the World Cup reaches the knockout phase.

Stead’s unbeaten team, who top the standings, play Pakistan on Wednesday at Edgbaston before they meet two of the tournament favourites in Australia and England in their final group games.

Guptill and Munro, in full flight, provide New Zealand with an explosive start but the pair have struggled in England, with Kane Williamson (373 runs at 186.5) and Ross Taylor (200 at 50) responsible for the bulk of the side’s runs.

The right-handed Guptill, the only New Zealander to have scored an ODI double century, has been dismissed for two golden ducks and his 133 runs in five innings are mostly courtesy of 73 not out against Sri Lanka in their opening match.

The majority of Munro’s 113 runs also came in the 10-wicket victory over Dimuth Karunaratne’s side when he scored 58 not out in Cardiff as he and Guptill chased down the 137 needed for victory in 16.1 overs.

“In any team you will have times when people don’t score runs. That’s the game of cricket,” Stead told reporters ahead of their clash with Pakistan. “Martin and Colin have both done it for us on numerous occasions and I hope that their time will be the next game. If they come off it is going to make it easier for the likes for Kane and Rosco and the guys after them.”

While victory over Pakistan would confirm a spot in their eighth World Cup semi-final, Stead was wary of looking too far ahead and knows that while they top the table they could also finish outside the top four if things go against them.

“The team is in a good space,” he said, adding that tight wins over Bangladesh, South Africa and the West Indies would stand them in good stead.

“We have had three really close games and I guess that augurs well for when you get to finals time because you have been in those tight situations. We want to just keep playing the way we are at the moment.”

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.