Mitchell Santner produced a five-wicket haul to complement a superlative batting display as New Zealand continued their impressive run in the ICC World Cup 2023 with a massive 99-run win over the Netherlands in Hyderabad on Monday.
Santner (5/59) spun a web around Netherlands who were all out for 223 in 46.3 overs on a sluggish pitch after Will Young (70), Rachin Ravindra (51) and Tom Latham (53) posted fifties to power New Zealand to 322 for 7.
Santner stars in New Zealand win
The 31-year-old Santner, who had provided the final flourish with a 17-ball 36 not out to push New Zealand's total, dismissed Max ODowd (16), Colin Ackermann (69), Scott Edwards (30), Roelof van der Merwe (1) and Ryan Klein (8), while Matt Henry (3/40) took three.
Chasing the stiff total, the Dutch batters couldn't provide a flying start as they were reduced to 67 for 3 in 16.4 overs.
Ackermann's Resilience: Netherlands' Lone Warrior
Colin Ackermann held Netherland innings together with a 73-ball 69 and added 50 runs with AT Nidamanuru (21) and 40 with Scott Edwards (30). However, Netherlands couldn't push the run-rate and wickets kept tumbling frequently.
Once Henry (3/40) saw the back of a tentative-looking opener Vikramjit Singh (12) with a good length delivery, the spin duo of Santner and Ravindra then made life difficult for the opposition.
Netherlands could manage just 35 for 1 after 10 overs and by the time the 25th over ended, they were at 114 for 3, leaving them with a mountain to climb.
Ackermann tried to take it deep before his innings ended when he was caught at short third by Henry.
Kiwis' Batting Brilliance
Earlier, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra and Tom Latham defied the sluggishness of the pitch to construct well-paced fifties and lead New Zealand to a healthy total.
After being asked to bat, Young and Ravindra gave the Kiwis some momentum against the Dutch bowlers, who exploited the slowness of the track with an assortment of slow balls and cutters.
Captain Latham gave some impetus to the Black Caps while making a 46-ball 53 towards the business end of the innings.
It was Young who broke the shackles, driving pacer Ryan Klein through mid-off for a four and he notched up another boundary in the fourth over.
Early Challenges: Slow Start and Conway's Exit
Devon Conway tried to give some muscle to the innings when he clobbered spinner Aryan Dutt, who had also opened the bowling along with Klein, for a massive six over long-on.
However, Conway (32) did not last long as his attempt to speed up the proceedings did not fetch a good result.
The left-hander jumped down the track against left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe and tried to deposit him over long-on, a repeat of the shot he played against Dutt, but this time the Kiwi found Bas de Leede in perfect position under the ball.
It ended the 67-run opening alliance but Ravindra, who made a hundred against England, and Young compiled a 77-run stand for the second wicket.
During this period, the Kiwis made runs at nearly 6 an over, but the Dutch did not allow them to motor away.
New Zealand's performance was in stark contrast against the rollicking effort they dished out against England a few days back at Ahmedabad. But the Kiwis team management will certainly be pleased with the way their batters adapted and made substantial runs through a different method.
