Hawke’s Bay Today: 29 December
Third-over crowd comes alive after opener Nathan Astle, on eight, lives when Marvan Atapattu deflects a straightforward catch to a diving Chamara Silva at mid-off. Opener Brendon McCullum departs at 18-1 amid groans and Ross Taylor enters.
Lasith “the gunslinger” Malinga’s 146km/h deliveries and the rising run rate have a group of Beige Brigade boys in sombreros milling around the booze wagon in the shape of a yellow fire tender.
Astle notches up 7000 ODI runs in the 11th over to take New Zealand to 60-1. Former New Zealand cricketer Gavin Larsen predicts a 280ish total in the media booth as Astle brings up his 50 off 45 balls in the 14th over.
Taylor picks a six off an erratic Dilhara Fernando for 31 runs off the same number of balls as New Zealand rack up 100 runs in 14.5 overs. The embankment on the Napier City end of the park is packed almost to capacity as police officers and security guards in fluorescent green become conspicuous.
Larsen likens women’s cricketer Emma Keeling to former fast bowler Danny Morrison, as she goes around highlighting services available around the park in between overs. The crowd groans with relief as Silva drops Astle at point in 17.1 overs. Astle and Taylor bring up their 100-run partnership in 20.1 overs and two balls later the Central Districts batsman calls for the 12th man to bring him a new bat.
Male fans start peeling of their shirts and the blue shirts pick vantage positions around Chapman Pavilion about 12.30pm. The crowd applauds Taylor as he brings up his 50 from a square leg shot off Jayasuria in 22.4 overs after facing 52 balls in 74 minutes. It prompts Larsen to say: That boy can play!”
Taylor and Astle show Muralitharan some respect in the 26th over and a grinning Larsen quips: “That Murali bowls faster than I used to.” In the 28th over, at 167-1, there’s speculation among journalists whether New Zealand coach John Bracewell will keep to his word and promote the likes of skipper Daniel Vettori as pinch hitters.
In 28.3 overs, Astle finds himself stranded on 83 after a straight shot from Taylor is flicked on to his stumps off bowler Jayasuria’s fingers. “That must hurt,” Larsen adds. Enter Peter Fulton as the Sri Lankan fans’ drums and cymbals become audible. A fan wins a pair of designer sunglasses as the TV camera zeroes in on him.
Winking at the journalists, a grinning Larsen tells some computer whizz in Wellington: “It’s in the mid-20s in the Bay, mate. There’s not a cloud in the sky.” Taylor thumps Tillekaratne Dilshan on to the roof of the Harris Stand for six to take his tally to 83 runs in 35.2 overs. He follows that up with another into the backyard of a home over the corrugated iron fence off Dilshan’s last ball.
in 38.2 overs, Fulton edges to Kumar Sangakkara off Muralitharan’s delivery and skipper daniel Vettori asks for his leg stump. A group of Indian fans drape their flag over the railings in the Chapman Pavilion, as some fans look perplexed.
Vaas comes back in the 41st over from the Hastings City end and three balls later has Vettori mistiming a ball to Mahela Jayawardene at mid-on. There’s a hush as James Marshall, wearing a No.33 shirt, enters but a fired-up Vaas sends him straight back with the next delivery for a golden duck with the score at 229-5. Twin brother Hamish Marshall, in a No.34 shirt, denies the veteran bowler a hat-trick with a leg by.
The murmurs of the crowd rise to a crescendo as Taylor nervously hovers on 98 in 42.3 overs with Fernando bowling. Amid whistling and clapping from Sri Lankan fans and attempts by Kiwi fans to start a Mexican Wave, Taylor finds himself precariously on 99 in 43.3 overs.
But to the tune of Bob Marley’s Is This Love Taylor pumps the air in jubilation for his maiden century on home soil off a Mailinga ball. At 45.3 balls, Taylor collapses in a heap trying to pull Fernando off the offstump and on top of the Harris Stand for six.
At 262-7 James Franklin falls victim to Malinga for two. Andre Adams comes into the fray. Clutching his left hamstring area, Taylor again hits the dirt off a Vaas delivery but gets up to the tune of You’ve Got the Power to hit a boundary the next ball.
Malinga goes upo to 149km/h and nails Adams for three but Taylor and Mark Gillespie, undefeated on one, see the Caps through to 285-8. Among lunch entertainment is the winning banner that reads: “To shatter the stumps: Bond /To snatch sixes: Astle/ If it’s runs you want then he’s Taylor-made.”