Martin Guptill’s record score of 237 not out and Trent Boult’s four-wicket haul propelled New Zealand into their third successive cricket World Cup semi-final with a 143-run victory over West Indies on Saturday.
The 28-year-old Guptill, who scored 105 in New Zealand’s last pool match against Bangladesh, rewrote several records as he helped New Zealand to an imposing 393 for six at Wellington Regional Stadium in the fourth and last quarter-final.
Guptill became the highest individual scorer in a World Cup match, surpassing Chris Gayle’s 215 from earlier in the tournament, and the first New Zealand batsman to score a ODI double century.
Boult then took four wickets as West Indies were forced to chase almost eight runs an over and while they went about hitting numerous boundaries they also lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 250 in 30.3 overs.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and chose to bat in sunny conditions at Wellington Regional Stadium.
‘The wicket looks good,’ McCullum said at the toss. ‘It looks a bit different from the wicket we played England on.’
‘Runs on the board can be quite valuable in this sort of situation and hopefully we can get a few on the board.’
New Zealand went back to their first-choice line-up, with fast bowler Adam Milne returning from a minor shoulder injury that forced him out of the co-hosts’ final pool game against Bangladesh in Hamilton.
Gayle has replaced the out-of-form Dwayne Smith at the top of the order, with Johnson Charles, who scored a half century in their last match against United Arab Emirates, to open with the Jamaican left hander.
Tall left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn has also been recalled in place of Kemar Roach.
West Indies captain Jason Holder may be tempted to open the bowling with Benn in an effort to clamp down on McCullum’s likely assault in the opening power-play overs, a tactic Bangladesh successfully used in Hamilton.
‘We’re very confident coming into this game,’ Holder said.
‘There’s a lot of pressure on New Zealand in their home town.’
The winner of the match will face South Africa in the first semi-final at Auckland’s Eden Park on Tuesday.
New Zealand – Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (captain), Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.
West Indies – Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels, Jonathan Carter, Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn
The 28-year-old Guptill, who scored 105 in New Zealand’s last pool match against Bangladesh, rewrote several records as he helped New Zealand to an imposing 393 for six at Wellington Regional Stadium in the fourth and last quarter-final.
Guptill became the highest individual scorer in a World Cup match, surpassing Chris Gayle’s 215 from earlier in the tournament, and the first New Zealand batsman to score a ODI double century.
Boult then took four wickets as West Indies were forced to chase almost eight runs an over and while they went about hitting numerous boundaries they also lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 250 in 30.3 overs.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and chose to bat in sunny conditions at Wellington Regional Stadium.
‘The wicket looks good,’ McCullum said at the toss. ‘It looks a bit different from the wicket we played England on.’
‘Runs on the board can be quite valuable in this sort of situation and hopefully we can get a few on the board.’
New Zealand went back to their first-choice line-up, with fast bowler Adam Milne returning from a minor shoulder injury that forced him out of the co-hosts’ final pool game against Bangladesh in Hamilton.
Gayle has replaced the out-of-form Dwayne Smith at the top of the order, with Johnson Charles, who scored a half century in their last match against United Arab Emirates, to open with the Jamaican left hander.
Tall left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn has also been recalled in place of Kemar Roach.
West Indies captain Jason Holder may be tempted to open the bowling with Benn in an effort to clamp down on McCullum’s likely assault in the opening power-play overs, a tactic Bangladesh successfully used in Hamilton.
‘We’re very confident coming into this game,’ Holder said.
‘There’s a lot of pressure on New Zealand in their home town.’
The winner of the match will face South Africa in the first semi-final at Auckland’s Eden Park on Tuesday.
New Zealand – Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (captain), Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.
West Indies – Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels, Jonathan Carter, Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn
Source: New Age
