Little wonder New Zealand are walking around Guyana with smiles on their faces. Two warmup games, two wins and their big guns are firing, notably Jacob Oram, who hit form with the bat against the hosts yesterday.
New Zealand open the World Twenty20 against Sri Lanka at Providence tomorrow morning (5am NZ time) and the word from afar is a happy camp full of fit players.
"It's nice to have two wins leading into the first game," captain Daniel Vettori said. "An in-form Jake Oram is a real bonus for the team – he makes the balance a lot easier. The way he batted, it just shows how destructive he can be.
Oram came to the crease yesterday at 37-6 in the 10th over. Initially he played second fiddle to Ross Taylor (50 from 35 balls) but he clubbed the bowling at the end to help New Zealand reach 124-8 on a pitch Vettori classified as "difficult".
Oram hit two sixes and three fours in his 46 not out from 40 balls and it proved the difference as the West Indies slumped from 68-0 in the ninth over to lose by seven runs. The warmup games have proved beneficial for the big guns. Jesse Ryder got runs against Ireland and Taylor, Oram, Scott Styris (4-18) and Shane Bond (2-15) were to the fore in the win against the West Indies.
Vettori respects Sri Lanka but gave the impression New Zealand know what they are walking into in the tournament's opening match at the Providence Stadium.
"They have a good team," Vettori said of Sri Lanka.
"Everyone talks about the unorthodox nature of their bowlers, [Lasith] Malinga, [Ajantha] Mendis and [Muttiah] Muralitharan, but fortunately we have played them a number of times and hopefully that holds us in good stead."
With Oram showing signs of form, Vettori indicated the team was easy for him to pick.
"We are pretty clear in our mind of the 11 we will take into the first game."
It would appear Ryder will open the innings with Brendon McCullum followed by Martin Guptill, Taylor, Styris, Gareth Hopkins, Vettori, Oram and then the bowlers Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills and Bond.
Tim Southee is good bowler at the death and is worthy of consideration ahead of Hopkins, but it seems he will sit on the bench alongside Aaron Redmond, Ian Butler and Rob Nicol. THE conditions continue to be a talking point in Guyana. Slow and low is the way, meaning the onus goes on Nathan McCullum and Vettori.
So far McCullum has been a star in the unfamiliar role of new ball bowler and Vettori the expensive one – going for 10 runs an over in both warmup games. "He's bowled really well, he's bowling at tough times, opening the bowling, he knows his role and he is thriving on it," Vettori said.
"It is important that he bowls well in the conditions because they suit him and myself, so between the two of us we have to stand up and bowl well." Sri Lanka suffered a narrow loss to South Africa in their final warmup match. The statistics read in New Zealand's favour.
They have played more Twenty20 internationals than anyone else: 33 games in total for a winning percentage of 43.93. Incredibly, they have featured in three ties. Brendon McCullum is the highest run scorer in Twenty20 history with 987 runs at 36.55, well clear of Kevin Pietersen on 663 runs.
Vettori's economy rate of 5.42 runs an over is the best of those with 20 wickets or more. He is also third on the all-time wicket list with 31 at 14.51. It all means that, if New Zealand can keep on top of their injuries, they should give the tournament a good shake.
They're overdue – their last win was nearly 10 years ago in the ICC Knockout Cup in Nairobi, Kenya. BET ON IT TAB odds: Australia $4.25 India, South Africa $5.50 Sri Lanka $7 New Zealand $8 England, West Indies $10 Pakistan $11 Bangladesh $80 Zimbabwe $100 Ireland, Afghanistan $500.
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