Hyderabad defeated Punjab in a neck-to-neck encounter and defended a low score at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday.

Earlier, Punjab won the toss and opted to bowl and it appeared that Ashwin had taken the advantage by making the decision of bowling first as Punjab restricted Hyderabad at a very low score.

Batting first Hyderabad set a 133-run target for Punjab but the bowlers, especially Rashid Khan was outstanding as he took three crucial wickets.

Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan shared five wickets between them and shattered the massive batting strength of Punjab.

The orange army is now placed at number two on the points table of and has gained confidence now.

The credit for today's game must go to the bowling department and as the batting of Hyderabad failed miserably.

The star batsmen could not perform. Shikhar Dhawan lost his wicket after scoring 11 runs and another opener Kane Williamson went back to pavilion after scoring a duck.

Wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha scored just six runs. The middle order batsmen salvaged the Hyderabad batting and pushed the run rate.

Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 54, 28 and 21 runs respectively and made crucial contributions to the team.

The score suggested that Punjab will easily win the match but bowlers turned the result and displayed an outstanding show to snatch the victory from Punjab's side.

Fall of wickets:

55-1 (Lokesh Rahul, 7.5), 57-2 (Chris Gayle, 8.2), 77-3 (Mayank Agarwal, 12.1), 82-4 (Karun Nair, 13.4), 88-5 (Aaron Finch, 14.2), 92-6 (Manoj Tiwary, 15.3), 96-7 (Andrew Tye, 15.5), 99-8 (Barinder Sra, 16.5), 101-9 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 17.2), 119-10 (Ankit Rajpoot, 19.2)

&nbsp;

Batting first Hyderabad set a 133-run target for Punjab but the bowlers, especially Rashid Khan was outstanding as he took three crucial wickets

Hyderabad defeated Punjab in a neck-to-neck encounter and defended a low score at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday. Earlier, Punjab won the toss and opted to bowl and it appeared that Ashwin had taken the advantage by making the decision of bowling first as Punjab restricted Hyderabad at a very low score. Batting first Hyderabad set a 133-run target for Punjab but the bowlers, especially Rashid Khan was outstanding as he took three crucial wickets. Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan shared five wickets between them and shattered the massive batting strength of Punjab. The orange army is now placed at number two on the points table of and has gained confidence now. The credit for today's game must go to the bowling department and as the batting of Hyderabad failed miserably. The star batsmen could not perform. Shikhar Dhawan lost his wicket after scoring 11 runs and another opener Kane Williamson went back to pavilion after scoring a duck. Wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha scored just six runs. The middle order batsmen salvaged the Hyderabad batting and pushed the run rate. Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 54, 28 and 21 runs respectively and made crucial contributions to the team. The score suggested that Punjab will easily win the match but bowlers turned the result and displayed an outstanding show to snatch the victory from Punjab's side. Fall of wickets: 55-1 (Lokesh Rahul, 7.5), 57-2 (Chris Gayle, 8.2), 77-3 (Mayank Agarwal, 12.1), 82-4 (Karun Nair, 13.4), 88-5 (Aaron Finch, 14.2), 92-6 (Manoj Tiwary, 15.3), 96-7 (Andrew Tye, 15.5), 99-8 (Barinder Sra, 16.5), 101-9 (Ravichandran Ashwin, 17.2), 119-10 (Ankit Rajpoot, 19.2)

IPL 2018: Rashid Khan shines as Hyderabad outplay Punjab to defend 132 runs

Hyderabad set 133-run target for Punjab at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium against Hyderabad on Thursday. Earlier, Punjab won the toss and opted to bowl. Ashwin took the advantage of the pitch by making the decision of bowling first.

The batting department of Hyderabad failed as the star batsmen could not perform. Shikhar Dhawan lost his wicket after scoring 11 runs and another opener Kane Williamson went back to pavilion after scoring a duck.

Wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha scored just six runs. The middle order batsmen salvaged the Hyderabad batting and pushed the run rate.

Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 54, 28 and 21 runs respectively and made crucial contributions to the team.

Fall of wickets:

1-1 (Kane Williamson, 0.4), 16-2 (Shikhar Dhawan, 2.2), 27-3 (Wriddhiman Saha, 4.5), 79-4 (Shakib Al Hasan, 13.4), 128-5 (Manish Pandey, 19.4), 132-6 (Mohammad Nabi, 19.6)

The batting department of Hyderabad failed as the star batsmen did not perform

Hyderabad set 133-run target for Punjab at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium against Hyderabad on Thursday. Earlier, Punjab won the toss and opted to bowl. Ashwin took the advantage of the pitch by making the decision of bowling first. The batting department of Hyderabad failed as the star batsmen could not perform. Shikhar Dhawan lost his wicket after scoring 11 runs and another opener Kane Williamson went back to pavilion after scoring a duck. Wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha scored just six runs. The middle order batsmen salvaged the Hyderabad batting and pushed the run rate. Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan scored 54, 28 and 21 runs respectively and made crucial contributions to the team. Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Kane Williamson, 0.4), 16-2 (Shikhar Dhawan, 2.2), 27-3 (Wriddhiman Saha, 4.5), 79-4 (Shakib Al Hasan, 13.4), 128-5 (Manish Pandey, 19.4), 132-6 (Mohammad Nabi, 19.6)

IPL 2018: Hyderabad set 133-run target for Punjab

Punjab won the toss and opted to bowl first at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium against Hyderabad on Thursday.

The pitch is appearing to be batting friendly and Hyderabad need to put up a giant score in order to win the clash.

Kane Williamson mentioned about Chris Gayle's performance and said that he is a "dangerous player". Williamson has not any changes in the squad.

On the other hand, Ashwin has taken advantage of the pitch by making the decision of bowling first.

For Punjab, 'hit machine' Gayle is back as he missed the last game due to a sore back and also Manoj Tiwari is in the playing XI.

Playing XI:

Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Wriddhiman Saha(w), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Basil Thampi, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

Punjab: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Aaron Finch, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Barinder Sran, Ankit Rajpoot, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Punjab won the toss and opted to bowl first at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium against Hyderabad on Thursday. The pitch is appearing to be batting friendly and Hyderabad need to put up a giant score in order to win the clash. Kane Williamson mentioned about Chris Gayle's performance and said that he is a "dangerous player". Williamson has not any changes in the squad. On the other hand, Ashwin has taken advantage of the pitch by making the decision of bowling first. For Punjab, 'hit machine' Gayle is back as he missed the last game due to a sore back and also Manoj Tiwari is in the playing XI. Playing XI: Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Wriddhiman Saha(w), Manish Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, Yusuf Pathan, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Basil Thampi, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma Punjab: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Aaron Finch, Manoj Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Barinder Sran, Ankit Rajpoot, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

IPL 2018: Ashwin opts to bowl against Hyderabad

Chasing a mammoth 183 runs target, Hyderabad team fought hard but in the end, lost to Chennai by mere four runs.&nbsp

Kane Williamson played a skipper's knock and slammed 84 runs but Bravo defended 19 off the last over to give Chennai the win.&nbsp

Williamson reignited the Hyderabad's chase but lost his wicket to Bravo while trying to hit a six.&nbsp

Yusuf Pathan, who was at the other end with Williamson, too tried to hit a six but gave away his wicket to Thakur after making 45 runs off 27 balls.

Opener Ricky Bhui, who replaced injured Shikhar Dhawan, failed to contribute and was sent back to the pavilion without opening his account. &nbsp

Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina slammed a half-century each to help Chennai set a decent target against Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 on Saturday.

Raydu slammed a powerful 37-ball 79 while Raina made 54 runs off 43 balls to lift Chennai to 182 runs after a loss of three wickets.

Raydu got run-out in a dramatic turn of event on the ground while Raina remained unbeaten.

Chennai Skipper MS Dhoni too contributed crucial 25 runs off just 12 balls.

Earlier, Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bowl in their clash against Chennai at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Playing at their home ground, Hyderabad will look to regain the winning momentum. After winning three matches in a row, Hyderabad tasted their first defeat in this year's IPL from Punjab.

However, in today's game Hyderabad entered the ground without Shikhar Dhawan. &nbsp

Speaking after the toss, Kane said, "We'll bowl. Not a strong advantage as the wicket remains similar generally. They have a strong batting line-up, the Chennai side so it's important we do the job first up."

"Billy Stanlake comes in for CJ and Ricky Bhui makes his debut, comes in for Shikhar. He (Dhawan) adds to any team so his inclusion would be good. It's a good chance for Ricky who's an exciting young talent. Think Shikhar will be ready for the next match. It's always a tough game. We'll play at the best of our ability and I am sure it'll be another good game," he added.

Meanwhile, Chennai skipper MS Dhoni said, "So far so good. It's not like we are relying on one individual. Everyone has contributed when it comes to bowling or batting. We always want the whole team to contribute so that there's not much pressure on one individual."

"It's always important that's why you are playing a team sport. The job of every individual becomes easy. What is important is someone soaks up the pressure. Imran Tahir is not fit so Faf comes his place."

Hyderabad skipper played a skipper's knock to reignite their 182 runs chase

Chasing a mammoth 183 runs target, Hyderabad team fought hard but in the end, lost to Chennai by mere four runs. Kane Williamson played a skipper's knock and slammed 84 runs but Bravo defended 19 off the last over to give Chennai the win. Williamson reignited the Hyderabad's chase but lost his wicket to Bravo while trying to hit a six. Yusuf Pathan, who was at the other end with Williamson, too tried to hit a six but gave away his wicket to Thakur after making 45 runs off 27 balls. Opener Ricky Bhui, who replaced injured Shikhar Dhawan, failed to contribute and was sent back to the pavilion without opening his account. Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina slammed a half-century each to help Chennai set a decent target against Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 on Saturday. Raydu slammed a powerful 37-ball 79 while Raina made 54 runs off 43 balls to lift Chennai to 182 runs after a loss of three wickets. Raydu got run-out in a dramatic turn of event on the ground while Raina remained unbeaten. Chennai Skipper MS Dhoni too contributed crucial 25 runs off just 12 balls. Earlier, Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to bowl in their clash against Chennai at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Playing at their home ground, Hyderabad will look to regain the winning momentum. After winning three matches in a row, Hyderabad tasted their first defeat in this year's IPL from Punjab. However, in today's game Hyderabad entered the ground without Shikhar Dhawan. Speaking after the toss, Kane said, "We'll bowl. Not a strong advantage as the wicket remains similar generally. They have a strong batting line-up, the Chennai side so it's important we do the job first up." "Billy Stanlake comes in for CJ and Ricky Bhui makes his debut, comes in for Shikhar. He (Dhawan) adds to any team so his inclusion would be good. It's a good chance for Ricky who's an exciting young talent. Think Shikhar will be ready for the next match. It's always a tough game. We'll play at the best of our ability and I am sure it'll be another good game," he added. Meanwhile, Chennai skipper MS Dhoni said, "So far so good. It's not like we are relying on one individual. Everyone has contributed when it comes to bowling or batting. We always want the whole team to contribute so that there's not much pressure on one individual." "It's always important that's why you are playing a team sport. The job of every individual becomes easy. What is important is someone soaks up the pressure. Imran Tahir is not fit so Faf comes his place."

IPL 2018: Williamson's 84 goes in vain as Hyderabad lose to Chennai by 4 runs

Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to ball&nbsp;against Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Thursday.

For Hyderabad, the squad is fit and healthy as there are no such reports of injury other than Bhuvneshwar Kumar's sore back. Sandeep Sharma has replaced Bhuvi for the match.

Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson said, "Going to bowl. Good surface for bowling so we need to bowl well first up. Unfortunately, Bhuvi misses out, he has a sore back, so Sandeep Sharma comes in making his debut for the franchise, so that's exciting for him."

On the other hand, for Mumbai, Hardik Pandya is not playing due to injury. Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said, "We are missing Hardik due to injury, so Pradeep Sangwan is playing instead of him. We've left out Mitch McCleneghan, and we've included Ben Cutting instead, who has played a lot of cricket here and knows the conditions pretty well."

(Playing XI)

Mumbai: Rohit Sharma(c), Evin Lewis, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Ben Cutting, Mayank Markande, Pradeep Sangwan, Mustafizur Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah

Hyderabad: Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Rashid Khan, Billy Stanlake, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

&nbsp;

Hardik Pandya is not playing for Mumbai due to injury

Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and opted to ball against Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on Thursday. For Hyderabad, the squad is fit and healthy as there are no such reports of injury other than Bhuvneshwar Kumar's sore back. Sandeep Sharma has replaced Bhuvi for the match. Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson said, "Going to bowl. Good surface for bowling so we need to bowl well first up. Unfortunately, Bhuvi misses out, he has a sore back, so Sandeep Sharma comes in making his debut for the franchise, so that's exciting for him." On the other hand, for Mumbai, Hardik Pandya is not playing due to injury. Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma said, "We are missing Hardik due to injury, so Pradeep Sangwan is playing instead of him. We've left out Mitch McCleneghan, and we've included Ben Cutting instead, who has played a lot of cricket here and knows the conditions pretty well." (Playing XI) Mumbai: Rohit Sharma(c), Evin Lewis, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Ben Cutting, Mayank Markande, Pradeep Sangwan, Mustafizur Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah Hyderabad: Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Rashid Khan, Billy Stanlake, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma

IPL 2018: Hyderabad opts to bowl against Mumbai

Kane Williamson, New Zealand skipper will lead the squad of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming edition of Indian Premier league after David Warner's ouster from the tournament following a ball-tampering row.

The 27-year-old said in a statement released by the club on Twitter, "I have accepted the role to stand in as captain for this season. It's an exciting opportunity with a talented group of players."

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Kane Williamson has been appointed as captain of SunRisers Hyderabad for IPL 2018. <a href="https://t.co/b5SMK8086U">pic.twitter.com/b5SMK8086U</a>
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) <a href="https://twitter.com/SunRisers/status/979263226746753024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Williamson was purchased for an amount of INR 3 Cr. for this season, which starts April 7.&nbsp

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&nbsp

'I have accepted the role to stand in as captain for this season. It's an exciting opportunity with a talented group of players,' said Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson, New Zealand skipper will lead the squad of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming edition of Indian Premier league after David Warner's ouster from the tournament following a ball-tampering row. The 27-year-old said in a statement released by the club on Twitter, "I have accepted the role to stand in as captain for this season. It's an exciting opportunity with a talented group of players." Kane Williamson has been appointed as captain of SunRisers Hyderabad for IPL 2018. pic.twitter.com/b5SMK8086U — SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) March 29, 2018 × Williamson was purchased for an amount of INR 3 Cr. for this season, which starts April 7. ×

Kane Williamson to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad after David Warner's ouster

Trent Boult made an early breakthrough to increase the pressure on England in the first test against New Zealand as the visitors went to the dinner break on the fourth day on 38 for one, still needing 331 runs to make the hosts bat again.

Boult, whose 6-32 in the first innings helped bowl England out for 58, had a woefully out-of-form Alastair Cook caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper BJ Watling for two.

Mark Stoneman (18) and Joe Root (14) managed to take their side through to the break without further loss, despite facing some testing moments from New Zealand`s new-ball attack of Boult and Tim Southee.

Earlier, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson had declared his side`s first innings at 427-8, a lead of 369 runs, about an hour into the middle session of the rain-affected day-night test.

Rain had washed out virtually all of the previous two days, with only 23.1 overs bowled by England on Friday and just 17 deliveries on Saturday.&nbsp;

Finally able to enjoy a period of uninterrupted play, Henry Nicholls advanced from his overnight score of 52 to reach his highest test score of 145 not out as England`s bowlers made scoring difficult for the home side on Sunday.

The 26-year-old left-hander brought up his second test century with two runs punched in front of point off spin bowler Moeen Ali shortly before the tea break.

Watling (31), Colin de Grandhomme, whose 29 included five boundaries and a six, and Todd Astle (18) were all dismissed in the first session, with Stuart Broad taking two wickets.

Southee fell in the middle session for 25 when he was caught and bowled by Root shortly before the declaration. Neil Wagner was nine not out.

The second test, a standard daytime match, is at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from March 30-April 3.

The visitors still need 331 runs to make the hosts bat again

Trent Boult made an early breakthrough to increase the pressure on England in the first test against New Zealand as the visitors went to the dinner break on the fourth day on 38 for one, still needing 331 runs to make the hosts bat again. Boult, whose 6-32 in the first innings helped bowl England out for 58, had a woefully out-of-form Alastair Cook caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper BJ Watling for two. Mark Stoneman (18) and Joe Root (14) managed to take their side through to the break without further loss, despite facing some testing moments from New Zealand`s new-ball attack of Boult and Tim Southee. Earlier, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson had declared his side`s first innings at 427-8, a lead of 369 runs, about an hour into the middle session of the rain-affected day-night test. Rain had washed out virtually all of the previous two days, with only 23.1 overs bowled by England on Friday and just 17 deliveries on Saturday. Finally able to enjoy a period of uninterrupted play, Henry Nicholls advanced from his overnight score of 52 to reach his highest test score of 145 not out as England`s bowlers made scoring difficult for the home side on Sunday. The 26-year-old left-hander brought up his second test century with two runs punched in front of point off spin bowler Moeen Ali shortly before the tea break. Watling (31), Colin de Grandhomme, whose 29 included five boundaries and a six, and Todd Astle (18) were all dismissed in the first session, with Stuart Broad taking two wickets. Southee fell in the middle session for 25 when he was caught and bowled by Root shortly before the declaration. Neil Wagner was nine not out. The second test, a standard daytime match, is at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from March 30-April 3.

Eng vs NZ, Day 4: Trent Boult captures Cook as England battle to save test

A humiliated England faced scathing criticism from &quot;embarrassed&quot; coach Trevor Bayliss while New Zealand celebrated a performance &quot;beyond our wildest dreams&quot; on the opening day of the first Test in Auckland on Thursday.

Bayliss said he was hurt by a scoreboard showing England all out for 58, inside the first session, and New Zealand 175 for three at stumps, ahead by 117 and with Kane Williamson not out 91.

&quot;It was a very poor effort today, it just simply wasn&#39;t good enough,&quot; Bayliss said after England slumped to their sixth worst Test innings ever.

At one stage they threatened New Zealand&#39;s unwanted world Test record low of 26 before an unbeaten 33 by Craig Overton more than doubled their score in a last wicket stand with James Anderson.

&quot;Whenever you don&#39;t do well it does hurt,&quot; said Bayliss, defending his selections as the best available in England.

&quot;Embarrassed? Certainly, and I probably wasn&#39;t the only one in our change room. It&#39;s certainly not good enough.&quot;

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STUMPS IN AUCKLAND! 
 
What a day for <a href="https://twitter.com/BLACKCAPS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BLACKCAPS</a>! They first bundled England out for 58, and then Kane Williamson struck 91* to take them to 175/3. Can it get any better?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvENG</a> All the details here ⬇️<a href="https://t.co/gs9XvkvSIF">https://t.co/gs9XvkvSIF</a> <a href="https://t.co/cQjrW5k8oU">pic.twitter.com/cQjrW5k8oU</a>
&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/976743387935031296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Tom Latham becomes Stuart Broad&#39;s 400th Test wicket. ???? 
 
2nd Englishman after James Anderson (524) and 15th overall to get to the mark. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/sSz9XFPsZ0">pic.twitter.com/sSz9XFPsZ0</a>
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New Zealand only needed two bowlers, Trent Boult who took six for 32, and Tim Southee, who took four for 25, in an innings that lasted just 20.4 overs.

&quot;It was very enjoyable to get out there to get the ball swinging around,&quot; said Boult who finished with career-best figures.

&quot;Probably not in our wildest dreams did we think we would win the toss and get them out in the first session.

&quot;The main thing was trying to pitch the ball up, trying to get the ball moving as much as we could and giving it the best chance to swing.

&quot;I don&#39;t think it swung that much. The cliche of it just doing enough is pretty much what happened.&quot;

&#39;Footwork mistakes&#39;&nbsp;

Apart from Stuart Broad taking his 400th Test wicket, it was a bleak day for the tourists, with Bayliss blaming their batting woes on &quot;mistakes with our footwork&quot;.

But for New Zealand, Williamson commanded the Test from the moment he won the toss and opted to bowl.

He featured in the field with a superb diving catch in the gully to remove Broad and ended the day closing in on a new record for New Zealand Test centuries.

He currently shares the record of 17 centuries with Ross Taylor and the late Martin Crowe.

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&ldquo;It&rsquo;s what you grow up dreaming of to one day run out there with a fern on your hat and perform like that&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/wUSHfdcOX4">pic.twitter.com/wUSHfdcOX4</a>
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Williamson went to the middle after the early dismissal of Jeet Raval, when New Zealand were one for eight, and put on 84 with Tom Latham for the second wicket.

Latham had made a patient 26 off 112 deliveries but when play entered the difficult daylight-to-twilight zone he was gone in the first over after dinner to give Broad his milestone scalp.

Williamson had a nervous moment on 64 when Chris Woakes claimed a straight drive from Taylor had deflected off his hand to the stumps, with Williamson backing up out of his crease.

Replays proved inconclusive and the third umpire ruled in favour of the batsman, but Bayliss said Woakes was adamant the ball had brushed his hand.

Taylor never looked completely at ease and on 20 he was caught at mid-wicket by Woakes to give England&#39;s most successful Test bowler, James Anderson, his 525th career dismissal.

Henry Nicholls joined Williamson and was unbeaten on 24 at stumps with the pair putting on 52 for the fourth wicket.

Boult started England&#39;s downfall when he had Alastair Cook out for five in the fifth over.

There followed a steady stream of batsmen going to and from the crease, five of them departing with a duck -- including Joe Root and Ben Stokes -- with only Mark Stoneman (11) able to join Overton with double figures.

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Trent Boult - &lsquo;It was nice to disturb the woodwork and put the side in a good position&rsquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nzveng?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nzveng</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/findyournight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#findyournight</a> <a href="https://t.co/ItkCvi5VN0">pic.twitter.com/ItkCvi5VN0</a>
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&nbsp;

Kane Williamson England registered their sixth-lowest total in Tests

A humiliated England faced scathing criticism from "embarrassed" coach Trevor Bayliss while New Zealand celebrated a performance "beyond our wildest dreams" on the opening day of the first Test in Auckland on Thursday. Bayliss said he was hurt by a scoreboard showing England all out for 58, inside the first session, and New Zealand 175 for three at stumps, ahead by 117 and with Kane Williamson not out 91. "It was a very poor effort today, it just simply wasn't good enough," Bayliss said after England slumped to their sixth worst Test innings ever. At one stage they threatened New Zealand's unwanted world Test record low of 26 before an unbeaten 33 by Craig Overton more than doubled their score in a last wicket stand with James Anderson. "Whenever you don't do well it does hurt," said Bayliss, defending his selections as the best available in England. "Embarrassed? Certainly, and I probably wasn't the only one in our change room. It's certainly not good enough." STUMPS IN AUCKLAND! What a day for @BLACKCAPS! They first bundled England out for 58, and then Kane Williamson struck 91* to take them to 175/3. Can it get any better?#NZvENG All the details here ⬇️https://t.co/gs9XvkvSIF pic.twitter.com/cQjrW5k8oU — ICC (@ICC) March 22, 2018 × Tom Latham becomes Stuart Broad's 400th Test wicket. ???? 2nd Englishman after James Anderson (524) and 15th overall to get to the mark. #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/sSz9XFPsZ0 — ICC (@ICC) March 22, 2018 × New Zealand only needed two bowlers, Trent Boult who took six for 32, and Tim Southee, who took four for 25, in an innings that lasted just 20.4 overs. "It was very enjoyable to get out there to get the ball swinging around," said Boult who finished with career-best figures. "Probably not in our wildest dreams did we think we would win the toss and get them out in the first session. "The main thing was trying to pitch the ball up, trying to get the ball moving as much as we could and giving it the best chance to swing. "I don't think it swung that much. The cliche of it just doing enough is pretty much what happened." 'Footwork mistakes' Apart from Stuart Broad taking his 400th Test wicket, it was a bleak day for the tourists, with Bayliss blaming their batting woes on "mistakes with our footwork". But for New Zealand, Williamson commanded the Test from the moment he won the toss and opted to bowl. He featured in the field with a superb diving catch in the gully to remove Broad and ended the day closing in on a new record for New Zealand Test centuries. He currently shares the record of 17 centuries with Ross Taylor and the late Martin Crowe. “It’s what you grow up dreaming of to one day run out there with a fern on your hat and perform like that” #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/wUSHfdcOX4 — BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 22, 2018 × Williamson went to the middle after the early dismissal of Jeet Raval, when New Zealand were one for eight, and put on 84 with Tom Latham for the second wicket. Latham had made a patient 26 off 112 deliveries but when play entered the difficult daylight-to-twilight zone he was gone in the first over after dinner to give Broad his milestone scalp. Williamson had a nervous moment on 64 when Chris Woakes claimed a straight drive from Taylor had deflected off his hand to the stumps, with Williamson backing up out of his crease. Replays proved inconclusive and the third umpire ruled in favour of the batsman, but Bayliss said Woakes was adamant the ball had brushed his hand. Taylor never looked completely at ease and on 20 he was caught at mid-wicket by Woakes to give England's most successful Test bowler, James Anderson, his 525th career dismissal. Henry Nicholls joined Williamson and was unbeaten on 24 at stumps with the pair putting on 52 for the fourth wicket. Boult started England's downfall when he had Alastair Cook out for five in the fifth over. There followed a steady stream of batsmen going to and from the crease, five of them departing with a duck -- including Joe Root and Ben Stokes -- with only Mark Stoneman (11) able to join Overton with double figures. Trent Boult - ‘It was nice to disturb the woodwork and put the side in a good position’ #nzveng #findyournight pic.twitter.com/ItkCvi5VN0 — BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 22, 2018 ×

1st Test: New Zealand batsman Williamson shines as England dismissed for 58

The first Test match of a two-match series between England and New Zealand will start from March 22 at Eden Park, Auckland.

Ross Taylor, who had been battling a groin injury and a stomach bug is back in the playing squad as New Zealand received a boost on the eve of the first Test with confirmation that Taylor is fit to play.

Recently, Kane Williamson has confirmed that Todd Astle will come into the playing XI for Thursday.

New Zealand&nbsp;playing XI:

Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Todd Astle, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult.

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Kane Williamson has confirmed Todd Astle will come into the playing XI for Thursday. Our XI - Latham, Raval, Williamson, Taylor, Nicholls, Watling, de Grandhomme, Astle, Southee, Wagner, Boult. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/N95xkXrai6">pic.twitter.com/N95xkXrai6</a>
&mdash; BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) <a href="https://twitter.com/BLACKCAPS/status/976271712995098624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Taylor, who has a Test average of 48.04, was also there in the squad of the second practice match.

Skipper Williamson reportedly said Taylor had completed a full training session without a problem.

He stated, &quot;He&#39;s good to go so that&#39;s great news for us.&quot;

&quot;Roscoe has played beautifully every time he&#39;s walked out to the crease, the calmness at the crease, the confidence.

&quot;It&#39;s reflected in how much success he&#39;s had this year. It&#39;s important for us as a team that he&#39;s there.&quot;

He mentioned about the new changes in the squad as Todd Astle would replace Mitchell Santner as the spinner in the side and BJ Watling would return as wicketkeeper.

The return of Ross Taylor in the playing XI means that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/new-zealand-put-martin-guptill-on-standby-for-england-test-36453">Martin Guptill</a>, who was included in&nbsp;the absence of Taylor will be snubbed.

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Things looking a little different at <a href="https://twitter.com/edenparknz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edenparknz</a> for today&rsquo;s training. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvENG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FindYourNight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FindYourNight</a> <a href="https://t.co/6bAM8K1YWE">pic.twitter.com/6bAM8K1YWE</a>
&mdash; BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) <a href="https://twitter.com/BLACKCAPS/status/975987234150100992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Kane Williamson said Ross Taylor had completed a full training session without a problem

The first Test match of a two-match series between England and New Zealand will start from March 22 at Eden Park, Auckland. Ross Taylor, who had been battling a groin injury and a stomach bug is back in the playing squad as New Zealand received a boost on the eve of the first Test with confirmation that Taylor is fit to play. Recently, Kane Williamson has confirmed that Todd Astle will come into the playing XI for Thursday. New Zealand playing XI: Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Todd Astle, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult. Kane Williamson has confirmed Todd Astle will come into the playing XI for Thursday. Our XI - Latham, Raval, Williamson, Taylor, Nicholls, Watling, de Grandhomme, Astle, Southee, Wagner, Boult. #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/N95xkXrai6 — BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 21, 2018 × Taylor, who has a Test average of 48.04, was also there in the squad of the second practice match. Skipper Williamson reportedly said Taylor had completed a full training session without a problem. He stated, "He's good to go so that's great news for us." "Roscoe has played beautifully every time he's walked out to the crease, the calmness at the crease, the confidence. "It's reflected in how much success he's had this year. It's important for us as a team that he's there." He mentioned about the new changes in the squad as Todd Astle would replace Mitchell Santner as the spinner in the side and BJ Watling would return as wicketkeeper. The return of Ross Taylor in the playing XI means that Martin Guptill, who was included in the absence of Taylor will be snubbed. Things looking a little different at @edenparknz for today’s training. #NZvENG #FindYourNight pic.twitter.com/6bAM8K1YWE — BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 20, 2018 ×

Ross Taylor fit to play in first Test against England: Kane Williamson

The 2018 U-19 World Cup, currently underway in New Zealand, is attracting a lot of attention the world over among cricket fans. With its coverage having gone bigger and more visible, there is a lot of focus and excitement on the young players performing in the event. Every good performance is being applauded and new talents being keenly observed.

&nbsp;

In India&rsquo;s first game against Australia, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi, the Indian quicks, bowled with great venom and constantly clicked speeds of over 140 km/h. In a country that has been starved of decent pace bowlers, this was a sight for the tired eyes and was applauded wholeheartedly in the social media. In fact, none other than ex-Indian captain Sourav Ganguly tweeted, mentioning that these young quicks are worth keeping an eye out for.

&nbsp;

This just goes to show how much of an impact the U-19 World Cup has these days. There was a time when this tournament was barely noticed. And today, it has become a genuine launch pad for youngsters to be internationally recognized even before they have played any first-class cricket. So the question that needs to be asked now is whether the U-19 World Cup can now be considered as a stepping stone for young cricketers for an international call-up?

&nbsp;

Youngsters need to go through the rigors of first-class cricket first

&nbsp;

It is well known by now that the likes of Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson, and Hashim Amla, to name a few, first got recognition through their exploits in the U-19 World Cup. However, it was through the grind, toil and repeated success at the first-class level that these players got the opportunity to represent the country.

&nbsp;

The U-19 World Cup is a good platform. It allows youngsters some great exposure of playing in different conditions of the world and of facing off against cricketers of all nationalities. The experience they gather in such a high-octane and fiercely competitive tournament can be extremely helpful in molding them for the path ahead.

&nbsp;

It would be unwise, however, to take them directly from the U-19 level to the international one. The path in between those two phases must be covered by every cricketer. Getting to skip it altogether, except in some extremely rare cases, might do more harm than good to the young cricketers.

&nbsp;

The World Cup provides an experience of a very different kind to these young lads. But they also need to hone their skills and go through the toil of first-class cricket to become a proper and complete cricketer. There is and should never be an easy way to success. Rushing those kids to the world of international cricket might hamper their progress.

&nbsp;

First-class cricket allows players to be disciplined, patient, and tenacious. Without developing these traits through the rigors of domestic cricket, a youngster, who has been inducted in international cricket directly, might struggle as he grows older.

&nbsp;

So, while we should definitely be excited for young talents emerging from the U-19 World Cup, we should also be very watchful to not go overboard with it or call for their inclusion in international cricket straightaway. After all, there is a whole sea of a difference between those two levels. And that needs to be respected.

&nbsp;

For now, let us savour the young talents like Prithwi Shah, Raynard van Tonder, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shaheen Shah Afridi and, Jason Sangha, among a plethora of others featuring in the ICC U-19 World Cup. And just hope that they go on to make a name for themselves in international cricket in the years to come as better versions of themselves.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

It was through the grind, toil and repeated success at the first-class level that players, such as Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson, and Hashim Amla got the opportunity to represent the country.

The 2018 U-19 World Cup, currently underway in New Zealand, is attracting a lot of attention the world over among cricket fans. With its coverage having gone bigger and more visible, there is a lot of focus and excitement on the young players performing in the event. Every good performance is being applauded and new talents being keenly observed. In India’s first game against Australia, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi, the Indian quicks, bowled with great venom and constantly clicked speeds of over 140 km/h. In a country that has been starved of decent pace bowlers, this was a sight for the tired eyes and was applauded wholeheartedly in the social media. In fact, none other than ex-Indian captain Sourav Ganguly tweeted, mentioning that these young quicks are worth keeping an eye out for. This just goes to show how much of an impact the U-19 World Cup has these days. There was a time when this tournament was barely noticed. And today, it has become a genuine launch pad for youngsters to be internationally recognized even before they have played any first-class cricket. So the question that needs to be asked now is whether the U-19 World Cup can now be considered as a stepping stone for young cricketers for an international call-up? Youngsters need to go through the rigors of first-class cricket first It is well known by now that the likes of Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Kane Williamson, and Hashim Amla, to name a few, first got recognition through their exploits in the U-19 World Cup. However, it was through the grind, toil and repeated success at the first-class level that these players got the opportunity to represent the country. The U-19 World Cup is a good platform. It allows youngsters some great exposure of playing in different conditions of the world and of facing off against cricketers of all nationalities. The experience they gather in such a high-octane and fiercely competitive tournament can be extremely helpful in molding them for the path ahead. It would be unwise, however, to take them directly from the U-19 level to the international one. The path in between those two phases must be covered by every cricketer. Getting to skip it altogether, except in some extremely rare cases, might do more harm than good to the young cricketers. The World Cup provides an experience of a very different kind to these young lads. But they also need to hone their skills and go through the toil of first-class cricket to become a proper and complete cricketer. There is and should never be an easy way to success. Rushing those kids to the world of international cricket might hamper their progress. First-class cricket allows players to be disciplined, patient, and tenacious. Without developing these traits through the rigors of domestic cricket, a youngster, who has been inducted in international cricket directly, might struggle as he grows older. So, while we should definitely be excited for young talents emerging from the U-19 World Cup, we should also be very watchful to not go overboard with it or call for their inclusion in international cricket straightaway. After all, there is a whole sea of a difference between those two levels. And that needs to be respected. For now, let us savour the young talents like Prithwi Shah, Raynard van Tonder, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shaheen Shah Afridi and, Jason Sangha, among a plethora of others featuring in the ICC U-19 World Cup. And just hope that they go on to make a name for themselves in international cricket in the years to come as better versions of themselves. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Should U-19 World Cup be the stepping stone for cricketers aiming international level?

New Zealand comfortably defeated Pakistan by massive 183 runs in the third one-day international in Dunedin on Saturday.

After given a target of 258 runs, Kiwis ended the Pakistani inning at mere 74 runs, to achieve an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

The team was reduced to 18 for 6 in the 15th over at one stage and went on to survive online 28 overs at end of the game.

Trent Boult rocked Pakistan with three wickets in five balls, helping his team to get rid of the top order batsmen. 
&nbsp; 
Later, he went on to take two more wickets.&nbsp;

His five-wicket haul once again showed how good a bowler he is when he gets that new ball moving.&nbsp;

Pakistan struggled to get going and runs dried up so much so that they were able to score just nine runs in the first ten overs for the loss of three wickets.&nbsp;

There were a total of 67 dot ball in the first 13 overs as wickets continued to tumble.&nbsp;

For the black caps, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor struck half-centuries but New Zealand lost seven wickets in their last seven overs to lose momentum towards the end after being 209 for 3 at one stage.

The victory was New Zealand&#39;s 10th in succession across all formats. That equals the longest winning sequence in their history.

After given a target of 258 runs, Kiwis ended the Pakistani inning at mere 74 runs

New Zealand comfortably defeated Pakistan by massive 183 runs in the third one-day international in Dunedin on Saturday. After given a target of 258 runs, Kiwis ended the Pakistani inning at mere 74 runs, to achieve an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. The team was reduced to 18 for 6 in the 15th over at one stage and went on to survive online 28 overs at end of the game. Trent Boult rocked Pakistan with three wickets in five balls, helping his team to get rid of the top order batsmen. Later, he went on to take two more wickets. His five-wicket haul once again showed how good a bowler he is when he gets that new ball moving. Pakistan struggled to get going and runs dried up so much so that they were able to score just nine runs in the first ten overs for the loss of three wickets. There were a total of 67 dot ball in the first 13 overs as wickets continued to tumble. For the black caps, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor struck half-centuries but New Zealand lost seven wickets in their last seven overs to lose momentum towards the end after being 209 for 3 at one stage. The victory was New Zealand's 10th in succession across all formats. That equals the longest winning sequence in their history.

Trent Boult's five-wicket haul steals 3rd ODI, series from Pakistan

New Zealand beat Pakistan by 61 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis system in a rain-shortened first one-day international in Wellington on Saturday.

New Zealand made 315 for seven after being sent into bat in the opening one-day international Pakistan were 166 for six after 30.1 overs when rain forced the players from the field.

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&ldquo;We knew it was important to start well against a quality Pakistan side who will continue to challenge us in this series.&rdquo; - Kane Williamson <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/foC2KYuoeb">pic.twitter.com/foC2KYuoeb</a>
&mdash; BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) <a href="https://twitter.com/BLACKCAPS/status/949517928084357121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In the New Zealand innings, Kane Williamson made 115,&nbsp;Colin Munro 58, Henry Nicholls made 50 and Hasan Ali took three for 61.

Fakhar Zaman was not out 82 for Pakistan and bowling for New Zealand Tim Southee had three for 22.

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New Zealand go 1-0 up in the 1st ODI after rain curtails Pakistan&#39;s chase. The hosts win by 61 runs (DLS Method). 
 
SCORECARD: <a href="https://t.co/9cMMdePI71">https://t.co/9cMMdePI71</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvPAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/k15WXPqB7P">pic.twitter.com/k15WXPqB7P</a>
&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/949517480644489217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Scoreboard

New Zealand:

315 for 7 wickets (50 overs) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Fall of wickets: 1-83 (Munro), 2-156 (Guptill), 3-192 (Taylor), 4-198 (Latham), 5-288 (Williamson), 6-297 (Nicholls), 7-311 (Santner)

Bowling: Mohammad Amir 9-2-57-1 (1w), Rumman Raees 10-0-68-1 (2w), Hasan Ali 10-0-61-3, Shadab Khan 9-0-49-0 (1w), Faheem Ashraf 9-0-58-1 (2w), Fakhar Zaman 3-0-19-1

Pakistan:

166 for six wickets (30.1 overs) DLS method

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Azhar Ali), 2-7 (Babar Azam), 3-13 (Mohammad Hafeez), 4-37 (Shoaib Malik), 5-54 (Sarfraz Ahmed), 6-132 (Shadab Khan)

Bowling: Southee 6.1-0-22-3 (2w), Boult 6-1-35-2 (2w), Ferguson 7-0-40-0 (3w), Santner 6-1-39-0 (3w), Astle 5-0-29-1.

&nbsp;

Pakistan were 166 for six after 30.1 overs when rain forced the players from the field

New Zealand beat Pakistan by 61 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis system in a rain-shortened first one-day international in Wellington on Saturday. New Zealand made 315 for seven after being sent into bat in the opening one-day international Pakistan were 166 for six after 30.1 overs when rain forced the players from the field. “We knew it was important to start well against a quality Pakistan side who will continue to challenge us in this series.” - Kane Williamson #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/foC2KYuoeb — BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 6, 2018 × In the New Zealand innings, Kane Williamson made 115, Colin Munro 58, Henry Nicholls made 50 and Hasan Ali took three for 61. Fakhar Zaman was not out 82 for Pakistan and bowling for New Zealand Tim Southee had three for 22. New Zealand go 1-0 up in the 1st ODI after rain curtails Pakistan's chase. The hosts win by 61 runs (DLS Method). SCORECARD: https://t.co/9cMMdePI71 #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/k15WXPqB7P — ICC (@ICC) January 6, 2018 × Scoreboard New Zealand: 315 for 7 wickets (50 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-83 (Munro), 2-156 (Guptill), 3-192 (Taylor), 4-198 (Latham), 5-288 (Williamson), 6-297 (Nicholls), 7-311 (Santner) Bowling: Mohammad Amir 9-2-57-1 (1w), Rumman Raees 10-0-68-1 (2w), Hasan Ali 10-0-61-3, Shadab Khan 9-0-49-0 (1w), Faheem Ashraf 9-0-58-1 (2w), Fakhar Zaman 3-0-19-1 Pakistan: 166 for six wickets (30.1 overs) DLS method Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Azhar Ali), 2-7 (Babar Azam), 3-13 (Mohammad Hafeez), 4-37 (Shoaib Malik), 5-54 (Sarfraz Ahmed), 6-132 (Shadab Khan) Bowling: Southee 6.1-0-22-3 (2w), Boult 6-1-35-2 (2w), Ferguson 7-0-40-0 (3w), Santner 6-1-39-0 (3w), Astle 5-0-29-1.

New Zealand trounce Pakistan in 1st ODI

Fortune favoured New Zealand, according to captain Kane Williamson after they cleaned up the first Test against the West Indies by an innings and 67 runs on day four in Wellington on Monday.

The West Indies collapsed spectacularly in their second innings to be all out for 319.

After a strong start, when they reached 231 for two, they lost their last eight wickets for 88 runs as they chased a monumental 386 to make New Zealand bat again.

But the real damage was done when Williamson won the toss and made the West Indies bat first on a green surface.

They were rolled for 134 and as the pitch flattened out New Zealand took charge with a monumental 520 for nine declared.

&quot;I thought in the first innings we were fairly fortunate as well as bowling very well in exploiting the bounce in the surface,&quot; Williamson said.

&quot;So we knew in the second innings when the wicket became a little flatter, it was going to be a tough job to bowl them out.

&quot;I thought the bowlers were exceptional to change their type of thought to play the long game, be patient with the way they operated and we saw the rewards in the second session today.&quot;

After resuming Monday at 214 for two, needing a further 172 runs to make New Zealand bat again, the West Indies innings unravelled when Kraigg Brathwaite went for 91.

If was the first of three wickets before lunch and the last five fell for just 33 runs in nine overs after the interval.

But captain Jason Holder rejected suggestions they had caved in, saying the plan was to play positively.

&quot;We said there&#39;s two days left in the game and we had to knock off the deficit and the only way to do that was staying positive. I don&#39;t think anyone was reckless at any stage,&quot; he said.

&quot;Unfortunately we lost Kraigg and we never gathered momentum afterwards.&quot;

&nbsp;Near unplayable&nbsp;

After Brathwaite&#39;s dismissal, lbw to spinner Mitchell Santer, New Zealand took the new ball and removed Shai Hope (37)and Ronson Chase (18) before lunch.

Sunil Ambris went on the first ball after the resumption of play and the tail followed quickly.

Matt Henry took three for 57 and Neil Wanger two for 102 to finish with nine for the match.

Wagner, who was near unplayable in the first innings as he took a career-best seven for 39 with his short-pitched deliveries, was named man-of-the-match.

&quot;His ability to bowl that short-pitched bowling as accurately as he does is not an easy thing to do. We don&#39;t see many bowlers able to do that, that accurately, and for that long a period of time,&quot; Williamson said.

Holder put it down to &quot;indecisive&quot; batting which he believed would be rectified before the second and final Test starts in Hamilton on Saturday.

&quot;We lost the first Test match obviously but there&#39;s a chance to put things right in the second Test,&quot; he said.

The West Indies collapsed spectacularly in their second innings to be all out for 319

Fortune favoured New Zealand, according to captain Kane Williamson after they cleaned up the first Test against the West Indies by an innings and 67 runs on day four in Wellington on Monday. The West Indies collapsed spectacularly in their second innings to be all out for 319. After a strong start, when they reached 231 for two, they lost their last eight wickets for 88 runs as they chased a monumental 386 to make New Zealand bat again. But the real damage was done when Williamson won the toss and made the West Indies bat first on a green surface. They were rolled for 134 and as the pitch flattened out New Zealand took charge with a monumental 520 for nine declared. "I thought in the first innings we were fairly fortunate as well as bowling very well in exploiting the bounce in the surface," Williamson said. "So we knew in the second innings when the wicket became a little flatter, it was going to be a tough job to bowl them out. "I thought the bowlers were exceptional to change their type of thought to play the long game, be patient with the way they operated and we saw the rewards in the second session today." After resuming Monday at 214 for two, needing a further 172 runs to make New Zealand bat again, the West Indies innings unravelled when Kraigg Brathwaite went for 91. If was the first of three wickets before lunch and the last five fell for just 33 runs in nine overs after the interval. But captain Jason Holder rejected suggestions they had caved in, saying the plan was to play positively. "We said there's two days left in the game and we had to knock off the deficit and the only way to do that was staying positive. I don't think anyone was reckless at any stage," he said. "Unfortunately we lost Kraigg and we never gathered momentum afterwards." Near unplayable After Brathwaite's dismissal, lbw to spinner Mitchell Santer, New Zealand took the new ball and removed Shai Hope (37)and Ronson Chase (18) before lunch. Sunil Ambris went on the first ball after the resumption of play and the tail followed quickly. Matt Henry took three for 57 and Neil Wanger two for 102 to finish with nine for the match. Wagner, who was near unplayable in the first innings as he took a career-best seven for 39 with his short-pitched deliveries, was named man-of-the-match. "His ability to bowl that short-pitched bowling as accurately as he does is not an easy thing to do. We don't see many bowlers able to do that, that accurately, and for that long a period of time," Williamson said. Holder put it down to "indecisive" batting which he believed would be rectified before the second and final Test starts in Hamilton on Saturday. "We lost the first Test match obviously but there's a chance to put things right in the second Test," he said.

Fortune favours New Zealand as Windies crash to innings defeat

New Zealand bowlers pulled off a thrilling six-run win over India in the second one-day international after skipper Kane Williamson struck a dazzling century to help his side level the series 1-1 in New Delhi on Thursday

The hosts, who were chasing 243 for victory, were bowled out for 236 in 49.3 overs as Hardik Pandya&#39;s fighting 36 went in vain. Speedster Tim Southee claimed three wickets.

Pandya, who starred with three wickets for India on debut in the Dharamsala ODI, looked like completing the chase during his 32-ball knock but Trent Boult got the dangerman in the penultimate over.

With India needing 10 in the final over and a wicket in hand, Southee got Jasprit Bumrah bowled for nought as the visitors celebrated their first win in the five-match series.

Boult&#39;s excellent match figures of two for 25, including two maidens in his quota of 10 overs, was also key in New Zealand choking the Indian chase.

Earlier Williamson&#39;s fluent 118 helped New Zealand post 242 for nine as Indian bowlers checked the visiting total with late strikes.

&quot;A lot of credit to the way we bowled, to create pressure on that surface was key and Trent Boult was outstanding,&quot; said Williamson.

New Zealand bowlers also came back strong to hurt India&#39;s reply with early strikes as the hosts slipped to 73 for four.

Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner got the big wicket of Virat Kohli (9) with wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi taking a great reflex catch down the leg side.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (39) and Kedar Jadhav put on 66 runs for the fifth wicket in their effort to steady the Indian innings with their aggressive style of play.

Jadhav, playing only his ninth ODI for India, counter attacked during his 37-ball 41 as he hit 2 fours and 2 sixes before falling to Matt Henry.

Dhoni looked like anchoring the innings but a superb caught and bowled effort from Southee saw the back of the wicketkeeper-batsman as India slipped further.

Dhoni&#39;s 65-ball knock saw 37 dot deliveries as the runs required grew more than the balls remaining.

Williamson turned to part-time spinner Martin Guptill, who took two wickets in his only over to get into the Indian tail.

But Pandya never gave up as he put on 49 runs for the ninth wicket with Umesh Yadav, who remained unbeaten on 18, as the duo gave the Black Caps a big scare.

&quot;I feel this was one game where we lost wickets against the run of play, it was not that the deliveries were good, we just kept losing wickets,&quot; said a disappointed Dhoni.

The big stand

Batting first, Williamson and Tom Latham rallied to put on 120 runs for the second wicket as the duo tackled the Indian bowlers with aplomb.

Williamson, who was named the man of the match, led from the front with some assured stroke-making during his 128-ball knock, which was laced with 14 fours and a six.

He made the most of a major let-off when Dhoni failed to glove a deflection off Axar Patel&#39;s bowling. Williamson was on 59.

Latham, who hit 6 fours and a six, played aggressive cricket to thwart the Indian spin and pace attack during his run-a-ball 46.

Off-spinner Jadhav broke the big stand after being brought into the attack in the 21st over as he got the left-handed Latham trapped lbw.

Williamson carried on the good work to record his eighth ODI ton as the crowd at Delhi&#39;s Feroz Shah Kotla stood up to applaud the efforts of the opposition captain.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra struck three times at crucial junctures to check New Zealand&#39;s surge, including the all-important wicket of Williamson.

&quot;I think we bowled really well, after the new ball it was key to get reverse swing and put pressure on the batsman, Mishy (Mishra) bowled well and got crucial wickets,&quot; said Dhoni.

Medium-pacer Bumrah&#39;s triple strike in the final five overs of the innings also hurt the visitors&#39; chances of putting up a bigger total.

The teams now head to Mohali for the third match on Sunday. 
 
(AFP)

Williamson's 118 helped New Zealand score 242 for nine in the nailbiting match

New Zealand bowlers pulled off a thrilling six-run win over India in the second one-day international after skipper Kane Williamson struck a dazzling century to help his side level the series 1-1 in New Delhi on Thursday The hosts, who were chasing 243 for victory, were bowled out for 236 in 49.3 overs as Hardik Pandya's fighting 36 went in vain. Speedster Tim Southee claimed three wickets. Pandya, who starred with three wickets for India on debut in the Dharamsala ODI, looked like completing the chase during his 32-ball knock but Trent Boult got the dangerman in the penultimate over. With India needing 10 in the final over and a wicket in hand, Southee got Jasprit Bumrah bowled for nought as the visitors celebrated their first win in the five-match series. Boult's excellent match figures of two for 25, including two maidens in his quota of 10 overs, was also key in New Zealand choking the Indian chase. Earlier Williamson's fluent 118 helped New Zealand post 242 for nine as Indian bowlers checked the visiting total with late strikes. "A lot of credit to the way we bowled, to create pressure on that surface was key and Trent Boult was outstanding," said Williamson. New Zealand bowlers also came back strong to hurt India's reply with early strikes as the hosts slipped to 73 for four. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner got the big wicket of Virat Kohli (9) with wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi taking a great reflex catch down the leg side. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (39) and Kedar Jadhav put on 66 runs for the fifth wicket in their effort to steady the Indian innings with their aggressive style of play. Jadhav, playing only his ninth ODI for India, counter attacked during his 37-ball 41 as he hit 2 fours and 2 sixes before falling to Matt Henry. Dhoni looked like anchoring the innings but a superb caught and bowled effort from Southee saw the back of the wicketkeeper-batsman as India slipped further. Dhoni's 65-ball knock saw 37 dot deliveries as the runs required grew more than the balls remaining. Williamson turned to part-time spinner Martin Guptill, who took two wickets in his only over to get into the Indian tail. But Pandya never gave up as he put on 49 runs for the ninth wicket with Umesh Yadav, who remained unbeaten on 18, as the duo gave the Black Caps a big scare. "I feel this was one game where we lost wickets against the run of play, it was not that the deliveries were good, we just kept losing wickets," said a disappointed Dhoni. The big stand Batting first, Williamson and Tom Latham rallied to put on 120 runs for the second wicket as the duo tackled the Indian bowlers with aplomb. Williamson, who was named the man of the match, led from the front with some assured stroke-making during his 128-ball knock, which was laced with 14 fours and a six. He made the most of a major let-off when Dhoni failed to glove a deflection off Axar Patel's bowling. Williamson was on 59. Latham, who hit 6 fours and a six, played aggressive cricket to thwart the Indian spin and pace attack during his run-a-ball 46. Off-spinner Jadhav broke the big stand after being brought into the attack in the 21st over as he got the left-handed Latham trapped lbw. Williamson carried on the good work to record his eighth ODI ton as the crowd at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla stood up to applaud the efforts of the opposition captain. Leg-spinner Amit Mishra struck three times at crucial junctures to check New Zealand's surge, including the all-important wicket of Williamson. "I think we bowled really well, after the new ball it was key to get reverse swing and put pressure on the batsman, Mishy (Mishra) bowled well and got crucial wickets," said Dhoni. Medium-pacer Bumrah's triple strike in the final five overs of the innings also hurt the visitors' chances of putting up a bigger total. The teams now head to Mohali for the third match on Sunday. (AFP)

India vs New Zealand: Kiwis beat hosts by 6 runs in 2nd ODI

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer won the toss and opted to bat on what is expected to be a flat pitch in the first test of the two-match series against New Zealand at the Queen&#39;s Sports Club today. 
 
The tourists go into the match as overwhelming favourites against a Zimbabwe side that have just played 10 tests in the last four years. The hosts have handed debuts to opener Chamu Chibhabha, all-rounder Prince Masvaure and seamer Michael Chinouya, while Cremer will lead the side for the first time. 
 
New Zealand opted for a seam attack that included Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Trent Boult, as well as the spin variety of Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner and Williamson, who is also captaining for the first time in tests. 
 
The match is a first test for Zimbabwe in almost two years having last played away in Bangladesh in November 2014. It will be the first time they will play in Bulawayo since losing to New Zealand by 34 runs in a one-off test five years ago. They will do well to run the tourists so close again. 
 
Zimbabwe&#39;s record at the Queen&#39;s Sports Club is poor, with just a single victory in 19 matches played there to go with 11 defeats. They have never beaten New Zealand in a five-day game, suffering nine losses in the 15 matches played. 
 
(Reuters)

Zimbabwe's record at the Queen's Sports Club is poor, with just a single victory in 19 matches played there

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer won the toss and opted to bat on what is expected to be a flat pitch in the first test of the two-match series against New Zealand at the Queen's Sports Club today. The tourists go into the match as overwhelming favourites against a Zimbabwe side that have just played 10 tests in the last four years. The hosts have handed debuts to opener Chamu Chibhabha, all-rounder Prince Masvaure and seamer Michael Chinouya, while Cremer will lead the side for the first time. New Zealand opted for a seam attack that included Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Trent Boult, as well as the spin variety of Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner and Williamson, who is also captaining for the first time in tests. The match is a first test for Zimbabwe in almost two years having last played away in Bangladesh in November 2014. It will be the first time they will play in Bulawayo since losing to New Zealand by 34 runs in a one-off test five years ago. They will do well to run the tourists so close again. Zimbabwe's record at the Queen's Sports Club is poor, with just a single victory in 19 matches played there to go with 11 defeats. They have never beaten New Zealand in a five-day game, suffering nine losses in the 15 matches played. (Reuters)

Zimbabwe win toss, elect to bat in first test against New Zealand

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