10 July 2019 12:10 am
Rain pushed the first semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup into a reserve day, with New Zealand on 211 for five against India with 23 balls of their innings yet to be completed.
Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor made identical scores of 67, though the latter was unbeaten before the rain interruption.
Under gloomy skies and a hint of drizzle, New Zealand Captain Williamson elected to bat first but openers Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls had to negotiate 16 balls before scoring the team’s first runs.
That early pressure also bought a wicket, four balls later, when the ball zipped past Martin Guptill, bat edge found, to Virat Kohli at second slip.
Williamson and Nicholls then staged somewhat of a recovery act, with a 68-run partnership, but run scoring was proving to be difficult on what was the definition of a sticky wicket, that eventually consumed 89 balls.
That partnership was ended when Nicholls was bowled by Ravindra Jadeja for 28, leaving Williamson to once again revive the innings, and his second half century took even longer.
Williamson was joined by seasoned batsman Ross Taylor and two continued to struggle, their 60-plus stand taking even longer the previous one.
Williamson reached his half century in 79 balls, and taken 102 balls to stitch together a partnership of 65 with Taylor.
Big hitters Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme came ahead of wicket-keeper Tom Latham, but made scores of 12 and 16 respectively before they were both caught. In between those two wickets, Taylor, who was dropped by M. S. Dhoni when he was on 22, reached his 50th half century at the start of the 43rd over, with the only six of the innings, before play was topped three overs later.
Reserve day info
Due to adverse weather, the match officials declared that no further play is possible in the ICC Cricket World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand at Old Trafford yesterday.
The match will recommence today (Wednesday) and the game will continue where it was halted. New Zealand will complete their 50-over innings and India will then complete their 50-over innings, weather permitting.
The match may be shortened dependent on conditions.
For the match to be completed, India are required to bat for at least 20 overs. If after the reserve day the match has still not reached a result, India will progress to the final given their higher finishing position in the group stage.