Cropping out New Zealand’s opening game victory against Sri Lanka at the 2019 ICC World Cup on June 1, it is safe to say the Kiwis’ batting order has been frailty throughout their route to the final. To make it simple, barring the opening game, the figures of their opening-wicket partnership read 35, 0, 12, 0, 5, 29, 2, 1, which averages to not even 11 runs per match.
In the 10 games New Zealand has played thus far, the openers have accumulated mere 328 runs at an average of lowly 20.50, which is actually lowest in the tournament. To add to it, there have been just two individual half-centuries en route, both of which came in the opening fixture.
The story, however, alters from this point on. As their captain, Kane Williamson walks down to bat, the reconstruction began taking shape. And he along with Ross Taylor, who has scored 335 runs in eight innings, somehow manages to rescue New Zealand from their misery.
Read | New Zealand: No longer the derby chasers
At the 2019 World Cup, both Williamson and Taylor have played two 100-run stand and five 50-plus-run stands. Together, the pair has scored 883 runs between each other at an average of whopping 63.07.
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Comparison of runs scored by NZ in WC 19 batting position wise |
||||||
|
Bat Position |
Runs |
BF |
Ave |
SR |
100 |
50 |
|
Openers (#1 - #2) |
328 |
403 |
20.50 |
81.38 |
0 |
2 |
|
(#3 - #4) |
883 |
1152 |
63.07 |
76.64 |
2 |
5 |
|
(#5 - #7) |
495 |
590 |
24.75 |
83.89 |
0 |
4 |
So when England lock horns with the Kiwis in a battle for the new World Champion at Lord’s on Sunday, the likes of Jofra Archer and Co. would know what kind of task would they be working upon.
Following Williamson and Taylor, New Zealand struggle to play gripping partnerships and the fact that only 495 runs have been scored between the batsmen from number 5 to number 7 is a perfect specimen for this. These players collect runs, but if in case the top order fails, you just cannot expect them to stretch the innings right till the end.
Having already played against the Kiwis in their final league game, England are well and truly aware of their opponent’s fragilities. The likes of Williamson, Taylor and Tom Latham indeed gave a scare, but Eoin Morgan’s men were hardly fazed by it.
New Zealand’s pace bowling sure remains a galactic force, but their batting – especially the opening for where England would love to rub salt. Daze the Kiwis early on in the game, and half the battle is won. Of course, unlike something as turbulent as the India-New Zealand game happens.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar
