Cricket wins amid fanfare
India pulled off a dramatic last ball tie against New Zealand in the third One-day International here Saturday to stay alive in the five-match series.
While the cricket was happening on the field, there was celebration all day long, in the stands. Every wicket, boundary, single and even an extra was celebrated depending on the occasion and importance of the instance.
The cricket frenzy took over Auckland on the day. Eden Park and the surrounding suburbs were struggling with parking problems and volunteers tried their best to direct the movement of traffic and people to avoid any chaos.
The Indian community in true blue spirit turned up to cheer up both the home team and the visitors, although it was hard to say which one was which.
Ross Taylor tweeted after the game, “What a game. Awesome crowd and at times I thought I was playing in Mumbai after the noise the Kiwi Indians were making.”
It was only complimentary that the stars on the field responded to such a fantastic turnout by providing an equally thrilling game. A last ball tied encounter.
India, chasing 315, looked down and out at 184 for six in the 36th over before a 85-run stand between Ravichandran Ashwin (65) and Ravindra Jadeja (66 not out) brought them back in the game. Ashwin departed but Jadeja took the game to the last over where India needed 18 runs for their fist win of the tour. The visitors managed 17, denying New Zealand a famous series win after they came out on top in the first two games.
The stadium was packed with Indian supporters. Giving the visiting team the feel of playing at home, cheering every single and extra as the tail-enders made a match of it.
All-rounder Corey Anderson (5-63), who came handy with the bat at Napier and Hamilton, almost turned from hero to zero at Eden Park.
Anderson did not fire with the bat this time but took his team on the brink of victory with a maiden-five wicket haul. He, however, faltered in the 50th over of India's innings, conceding two wides, two fours and six which Jadeja hit off the penultimate ball. India, now needing a couple for the last ball, could only pick a single after Jadeja played a full delivery to the man at mid-off.
Ashwin and captain Dhoni (50) too played a part in enforcing the draw. Dhoni fell after scoring his third consecutive fifty of the series.
Aswhin departed to make it 269 for seven, his team needing another 46 off 31 balls.
Earlier, Opener Martin Guptill (111 off 129 balls) and Kane Williamson (65) had guided New Zealand to 314 after Dhoni opted to chase once again.
Spinners Ashwin (1-47) and Jadeja (2-47) were the most economical of the Indian bowlers. Barring Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-48), the Indian speedsters proved expensive.
India were in a sorry state from which Jadeja and Ashwin brought back the team and remained in the reckoning in the 5-match series, since New Zealand played the third ODI after winning the first two.
India pulled off a dramatic last ball tie against New Zealand in the third One-day International here Saturday to stay alive in the five-match series. While the cricket was happening on the field, there was celebration all day long, in the stands. Every wicket, boundary, single and even an extra...
India pulled off a dramatic last ball tie against New Zealand in the third One-day International here Saturday to stay alive in the five-match series.
While the cricket was happening on the field, there was celebration all day long, in the stands. Every wicket, boundary, single and even an extra was celebrated depending on the occasion and importance of the instance.
The cricket frenzy took over Auckland on the day. Eden Park and the surrounding suburbs were struggling with parking problems and volunteers tried their best to direct the movement of traffic and people to avoid any chaos.
The Indian community in true blue spirit turned up to cheer up both the home team and the visitors, although it was hard to say which one was which.
Ross Taylor tweeted after the game, “What a game. Awesome crowd and at times I thought I was playing in Mumbai after the noise the Kiwi Indians were making.”
It was only complimentary that the stars on the field responded to such a fantastic turnout by providing an equally thrilling game. A last ball tied encounter.
India, chasing 315, looked down and out at 184 for six in the 36th over before a 85-run stand between Ravichandran Ashwin (65) and Ravindra Jadeja (66 not out) brought them back in the game. Ashwin departed but Jadeja took the game to the last over where India needed 18 runs for their fist win of the tour. The visitors managed 17, denying New Zealand a famous series win after they came out on top in the first two games.
The stadium was packed with Indian supporters. Giving the visiting team the feel of playing at home, cheering every single and extra as the tail-enders made a match of it.
All-rounder Corey Anderson (5-63), who came handy with the bat at Napier and Hamilton, almost turned from hero to zero at Eden Park.
Anderson did not fire with the bat this time but took his team on the brink of victory with a maiden-five wicket haul. He, however, faltered in the 50th over of India's innings, conceding two wides, two fours and six which Jadeja hit off the penultimate ball. India, now needing a couple for the last ball, could only pick a single after Jadeja played a full delivery to the man at mid-off.
Ashwin and captain Dhoni (50) too played a part in enforcing the draw. Dhoni fell after scoring his third consecutive fifty of the series.
Aswhin departed to make it 269 for seven, his team needing another 46 off 31 balls.
Earlier, Opener Martin Guptill (111 off 129 balls) and Kane Williamson (65) had guided New Zealand to 314 after Dhoni opted to chase once again.
Spinners Ashwin (1-47) and Jadeja (2-47) were the most economical of the Indian bowlers. Barring Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-48), the Indian speedsters proved expensive.
India were in a sorry state from which Jadeja and Ashwin brought back the team and remained in the reckoning in the 5-match series, since New Zealand played the third ODI after winning the first two.
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