After their impressive start to the World Cup with a thumping win over defending champions England, New Zealand will look to make it two in two when they face the Netherlands in Hyderabad on Monday (October 9). These teams have met four times in the past. New Zealand emerged victorious on all four occasions.
New Zealand seem to have a lot of things going in their favour at the moment. They beat England by nine wickets despite missing captain Kane Williamson and key bowlers Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson.
Matt Henry’s impressive new-ball spell, Mitchell Santner’s control in the middle overs and the breakthroughs given by Glenn Phillips were noteworthy. With the bat, Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra stole the show with a match-winning partnership.
Against Netherlands, who lost to Pakistan in their first match, Ferguson and Southee are expected to be available for selection. In the absence of Williamson, Ravindra will continue at No 3, after openers Conway and Will Young.
James Neesham’s performance in the last game, where he leaked runs, raises some concerns. Stand-in skipper Tom Latham was impressive with his bowling changes in the previous game. It’s up to him how he uses all-rounder Neesham.
Hyderabad could be a good venue for New Zealand. Henry should relish bowling on this pitch, particularly under the lights. Conway, with prior experience in Hyderabad, should feel at ease. The pitch for the Pakistan-Netherlands match had something for the spinners. This should excite the likes of Santner.
Netherlands displayed resilience against Pakistan, despite suffering an 81-run loss. They showed promise with the ball and will look to enhance their reputation. Bowlers Logan van Beek, Bas de Leede and Aryan Dutt drew attention with their efforts against Pakistan.
Captain Scott Edwards seeks an improved batting display after a disappointing showing against Pakistan. Apart from De Leede and Vikramjit Singh, others struggled. Having got time to get used to conditions in Hyderabad, the Dutch batters will hope to do better against New Zealand.
Time and Venue Details
October 9 from 14:00 IST. Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Expected conditions
The weather forecast indicates clear skies. Historically, the pitch in Hyderabad has been flat, allowing for high scores. This track also has something for the fast bowlers and spinners. The team winning the toss is likely to bat.
Probable XIs
New Zealand: Even though Ferguson has been declared fit for the game against the Netherlands, New Zealand are likely to retain the XI that beat England.
Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c/wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Trent Boult.
Netherlands: There have been no injuries. They are also likely to field an unchanged XI.
Vikramjit Singh, Max O’Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (c/wk), Saqib Zulfiqar, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren.
Match-ups
Boult vs Dutch top-order: The Netherlands’ batters managed to withstand Shaheen Afridi’s spell with the new ball, but their vulnerability to left-arm seamers remains evident. While Boult couldn’t secure wickets with the new ball in the previous match, he has an opportunity to make breakthroughs against the relatively inexperienced Dutch top-order.
Aryan Dutt vs Conway and Ravindra: Scott Edwards surprised many by handing the new ball to Dutt against Pakistan. The off-spinner displayed promise and bowled well. He might be a threat to the in-form left-handed pair of Conway and Ravindra.
Coach speak
Lockie Ferguson got through training really well. Tim Southee also got through the training really well. It was great to see him back at the bowling crease, and doing a little bit of fielding as well. He will get a final X-ray done and we will make a call after that, but it is all looking good for selection from now on and into the rest of the tournament.
Gary Stead (New Zealand)