Edinburgh [Scotland], July 30 (ANI): New Zealand clench the two-match T20I series with a 102-run win over Scotland on Friday here at Edinburgh.
A collective effort from Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell saw New Zealand clench the series as the visitors cruised past Scotland with a 102-run victory over them. Chapman gave a man-of-the-match performance with 83 runs off 44 balls and Bracewell with 61 runs off only 25 balls.
The middle order duo helped the visitors put the massive total that Scotland could not chase. All the 9 wickets of New Zealand came by gradually with no notable partnerships for the hosts, thanks to the bowling effort from the New Zealand team.
Starting the match, New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat first. Dani Cleaver and Finn Allen were to start the innings for the hosts and looking to provide them with a good start. But, that didn’t quite happen as Allen got caught out at 6 runs in the second over of the match.
Mark Chapman came in first down with the aim for a prolonged partnership with Cleaver but that didn’t last long as Cleaver got dismissed in the 6th over. Scoring 28 runs off 16 balls, it was a decent knock from the opener.
Darly Michelle wicket came after a while as well, scoring 31 runs off 19 balls. It was all upto Bracewell to finish the innings and make sure that New Zealand put on a match-winning total. Bracewell certainly did what he was brought on for, scoring 61 runs in only 25 balls.
Chapman’s wicket came in the 15th over at the score of 83 runs off 44 balls. James Neesham came on to finish the rest of the job, scoring 28 runs off 12 balls. Bracewell and Neesham put on a staggering partnership of 79 runs in just 29 balls. Neesham was caught out in the last bowl of the match but did his job with the bat and helped New Zealand put on the total of 254 runs in the 20 overs played.
It was the highest T20I score that New Zealand has ever put on with both Chapman and Bracewell also putting on their career-best scores in the T20I format.
All the bowlers in Scotland’s bowling lineup were expensive with Chris Greaves giving the best performance out of them by taking a wicket and only conceding 23 runs in the 3 overs bowled.
Scotland’s batting couldn’t shine either with the best numbers yet again being put up by all-rounder Chris Greaves as he scored 37 runs off 29 balls but got dismissed by Ish Sodhi in the 12th over.
There was no standout performance from the rest of the host’s squad as they squandered at only 152 runs in 20 overs.
An all-round performance came from New Zealand’s bowling lineup. All of them put on a great show with no standout performances. James Neesham did well with the bowl too, taking two wickets in the only over he bowled in the whole match.
New Zealand 254 for 5 (Chapman 83, Bracewell 61*, Main 2-44) beat Scotland 152 for 9 (Greaves 37, Neesham 2-9, Rippon 2-37) by 102 runs. (ANI)
