Typically atypical from NZ v Pak
Thank the heavens!
New Zealand beats Pakistan by 7 runs in the final match of the series. A narrow escape by New Zealand in defending 211, and very, very welcome; it would have been hard to stomach a loss after having the Pakistanis at 101/9.
I had thought the game lost when I was following it over my breakfast. With 5 overs to go and number 10 and 11, Mohammad Aamer and Saeed Ajmal, quite happily knocking the ball around at around about the required run rate, I was cursing Aamer and Ajmal. But once Ajmal fell in the last over, I was able to be more charitable and appreciate their partnership and what they had very nearly achieved. Together they scored more than half their team’s runs and individually ended with Pakistan’s two highest scores. All this while facing three of the world’s top 10 ODI bowlers. Aamer was well deserving of his man of the match.
But kudos to the Black Caps. Having failed to both bat and bowl in the first ODI, in the next two they showed they could BAT! and BOWL! Defending 211, in this age of batting power plays, is a fine achievement.
Thomas Coffey:
