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Vettori rates Bristol win up with best
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A jubilant New
Zealand captain Daniel Vettori hurled the
winning catch skywards then declared it one of
his most satisfying one-day international
cricket victories.
In scenes more akin to a World Cup than a 22-run
win over England, the team converged in an
ecstatic huddle and savoured their first success
in seven matches against the hosts on tour. |
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Inspired by Kyle
Mills' allround effort, which earned him
man-of-the-match ahead of worthy contenders Tim
Southee and Grant Elliott, New Zealand somehow
defended a skinny 182 in the third ODI at
Bristol's jam-packed County Ground. England were
dismissed for 160 with 22 balls remaining.
For Vettori, any win would have sufficed after
five weeks of frustration against England as the
tourists head to London with the momentum at 1-1
with two matches to play.
"Our performance was one of our better ones, and
it's the sort of victory you always remember,
defending 180, up against it and some guys
really standing up," he said.
"Obviously it's been a tough tour and it still
gives us a chance to win the series. If we'd
lost here, 0-2 down, it would have been tough to
get everyone up for the last two games."
A bleak week in London beckoned as New Zealand
slumped to 49 for five after being mesmerised by
England pacemen James Anderson, Stuart Broad and
Chris Tremlett.
Two unlikely rescuers emerged in Elliott and
Mills who paired up at a dire 110 for seven.
A week earlier, allrounder Elliott was playing
for the Weybridge club in the Surrey league,
before Jacob Oram's hamstring strain earned him
a callup.
Now, after an excellent three for 25 on debut in
the Birmingham washout, Elliott was saving New
Zealand's innings with a patient 56 off 102
balls after arriving in the 14th over.
He departed in the 49th, having provided the
platform for Mills to launch some trademark
straight hits into the crowd as he surpassed his
highest ODI score of 44 not out against
Australia in 2004.
Mills whacked 47 off 40 balls, including two
sixes, to help take a vital 50 off the last five
overs. Then he laced up the bowling boots to
remove dangermen Luke Wright and Kevin Pietersen
inside the first five overs.
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If New Zealand's top-order were
disappointing on the pacy
surface, England's batsmen imploded
against some tight
bowling and offered nine catches
which were gleefully
accepted.
In just his third ODI, Southee
conceded 23 off his first three
overs but Vettori kept the faith
and the 19-year-old
produced a devastating spell of
three for none in eight balls
- all catches behind the wicket. |
With heavy cloud building and rain threatening,
Duckworth-Lewis calculation sheets were out and it
seemed captain Paul Collingwood might see England home.
But Southee did the job with his penultimate ball,
trapping Collingwood lbw for 34 to end with four for 38.
Vettori removed Broad then Elliott sealed it when
Tremlett skied a catch.
Vettori said there was no magic formula to their
turnaround after being outclassed in the series opener
in Durham.
"If I knew that I'd bottle it and sell it. There's been
a lot of talking and we put it back on the individuals
to lift their performances.
"We've talked about when we're a good side we field
outstandingly, and I think that's tripped the switch for
us."
Elliott's performance booked his place for the final two
matches, with Vettori saying Oram was on target to
return as a batsman only at The Oval on Wednesday.
Collingwood meanwhile couldn't quite believe his side
let it slip.
"We're very disappointed we didn't take an opportunity
to be pretty ruthless, to go 2-0 up. We kept on losing
wickets, we kept either nicking them or hitting them
straight to fielders."
--NZPA
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