On a bright afternoon at Bay Oval, a cricket match carried the familiar weight of second chances: Will Young, dropped twice in the first two balls of a single over, refused to let an early gift slip away and turned it into a hundred for New Zealand against India. It is the kind of turn that sports often offers, where a moment of human error becomes the hinge of a larger story. India, already holding a 2-0 series lead, now find their fourth one-day match tilted toward the hosts, and the outcome rests on the overs still to come.
Will Young's Record 125 Puts New Zealand on Top Despite Two Early Reprieves, Naman Dhir Strikes Back
Two catches went down in two balls, and the opener took full advantage
Mark
Two dropped catches in a row. How much of this innings is really about that?
Mimi
A lot of it. Young was on 5 when both chances went down, and he finished with 125. Without those reprieves, New Zealand's innings looks very different.
Luke
Careful, though. That's a reasonable inference, not a proven one. We can't say what the score would have been otherwise; Seifert and Allen scored heavily too.
Mark
Seifert's fifty came with a record attached, didn't it?
Mimi
Yes, the first New Zealand batter to make a fifty against India inside ten overs of an ODI innings. His 58 off 48 was his highest ODI score.
Luke
Worth noting that the record claim comes from the live coverage, which I can't verify independently here.
Mark
What about Iyer's call to bring on Naman Dhir?
Mimi
It worked at once. Dhir took Young in his first over, with Kushagra holding the catch at deep mid-wicket after a fumble.
Luke
One wicket from a part-timer doesn't show the plan was sound. And New Zealand were still 256 for 5 with overs left.
Mark
So what matters now?
Mimi
How India bowl the final 13 overs, and whether New Zealand can reach the 350 the commentary spoke of.
Luke
That 350 is a projection, not a result. We don't know the final total yet.
Il Polso
- Two dropped catches on the very first balls of New Zealand's innings threatened to hand the hosts an early escape.
- Tim Seifert's rapid 58 off 48 put India's bowlers on the back foot inside the powerplay, with New Zealand at 72 without loss after ten overs.
- Will Young built his innings patiently, reaching a century off 88 balls, and survived a helmet strike and a lost DRS review along the way.
- India's bowlers fought back through Axar Patel and a late breakthrough by Naman Dhir, but New Zealand pushed past 250 at nearly seven an over.
- With India needing to protect the series lead, the closing overs will decide whether the chase becomes a steep challenge.
On a bright afternoon at Bay Oval, a cricket match carried the familiar weight of second chances: Will Young, dropped twice in the first two balls of a single over, refused to let an early gift slip away and turned it into a hundred for New Zealand against India. It is the kind of turn that sports often offers, where a moment of human error becomes the hinge of a larger story. India, already holding a 2-0 series lead, now find their fourth one-day match tilted toward the hosts, and the outcome rests on the overs still to come.
The second over of New Zealand's innings at Bay Oval carried a gift India would spend the afternoon paying for. Will Young, on 5, offered a chance and Rohit Sharma put it down. On the very next ball Ishan Kishan dropped another, and the opener took full advantage.
India arrived with a 2-0 series lead and a chance to clinch it. Shreyas Iyer, stand-in captain, won the toss and chose to bowl, making three changes to the side. The powerplay belonged to the hosts. Tim Seifert attacked with sixes over long-on and long-off, reaching a fifty in 39 balls and becoming the first New Zealand batter to reach half-century against India inside the first ten overs of an ODI innings.
India's first breakthrough came when Ishan Kishan took a diving catch to end Seifert's 58, and wickets then fell steadily. Young, meanwhile, found a partner in Finn Allen, whose quick 41 added pace before a catch at the covers. Young reached his hundred in 88 balls, survived a blow to the helmet and passed a concussion test, and watched India lose a review. The hosts crossed 250 at nearly seven an over.
The breakthrough finally arrived through part-time off-spinner Naman Dhir, who removed Young after a slog-sweep found substitute fielder Kumar Kushagra at deep mid-wicket. Axar Patel was India's best bowler with 2 for 39, though most of the attack was expensive. New Zealand now eye a total near 350, and India's closing overs will determine how large a chase they face to seal the series.
The second over of New Zealand's innings at Bay Oval on Friday carried a gift that India would spend the afternoon paying for. Will Young, on 5, offered a chance and Rohit Sharma put it down. On the very next ball Ishan Kishan dropped another. Two catches went down in two balls, and the opener took full advantage, going on to make 125, the highest ODI score of his career.
India came in with a 2-0 lead in the series, and a win in this fourth ODI would clinch it. Stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl. India made three changes, with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan and Kuldeep Yadav replacing Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Anshul Kamboj. New Zealand changed six players.
The powerplay belonged to the hosts. Tim Seifert played the aggressive role, hitting sixes over long-on and long-off and pulling Gurnoor Brar through mid-wicket. His fifty came in 39 balls, his first in the format, and he became the first New Zealand batter to reach a half-century against India inside the first 10 overs of an ODI innings. New Zealand were 72 without loss after 10 overs. Young, steadier early on, hit a cover-driven four off Naman Dhir's dive attempt in the fifth over and later added boundaries of his own.
India's first wicket came at 85 in the 12th over. Seifert, 31, was caught by surprise by a short ball from Brar and rushed into a pull. Kishan chased the high ball and took a diving catch to end an innings of 58 off 48. Nick Kelly followed for 4, stumped by Kishan off Axar Patel after he stepped out and missed. Dean Foxcroft fell for 8 off 13, top-edging a short ball from Auqib Nabi to Brar just as Young reached his fifty, his 13th in ODIs, off 49 balls. New Zealand were 125 for 3 after 20 overs.
Young then found a partner in Finn Allen, back in the side and batting at No. 5. Allen hit a straight six off Axar and a free-hit six off Kuldeep after a no-ball, and reached 41 off 30 before Rohit dived to take a catch at the covers. Young reached his century in 88 balls, with New Zealand on 218 for 4. Along the way he was struck on the helmet by a Kuldeep delivery while attempting a reverse-sweep and passed a concussion test. India also lost a DRS review when Hawk-Eye showed a delivery pitching outside leg. Young hit a six and a four in the 36th over to take the score to 247 for 4, and the hosts crossed 250 at nearly seven an over.
The breakthrough came when Iyer handed the ball to part-time off-spinner Naman Dhir. In his first over, Young tried a slog-sweep and picked out substitute fielder Kumar Kushagra at deep mid-wicket. Kushagra fumbled the first grab but held on at the second attempt. New Zealand were 256 for 5 after 37 overs.
Axar was India's best bowler, finishing with 2 for 39 from 10 overs on a day when most of the attack was expensive. Brar and Nabi took one wicket each. With New Zealand eyeing 350 if wickets stayed in hand, India's bowling in the closing overs will decide how large a chase they face to seal the series.
Citazioni salienti
Shreyas Iyer's decision to hand the ball to part-time off-spinner Naman Dhir paid off with Young's wicket in Dhir's first over.— NDTV Sports live commentary
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