Johannesburg, September 30: New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori today said the 84-run opening wicket stand between Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptil ultimately proved to be the key in their four-wicket win over England in a low-scoring crucial Group B match here today.
New Zealand had to went through some late jitters during their run chase after bundling out England for a paltry 146 in 43.1 overs.
The Kiwis lost five wickets in the fag end of their run chase after McCullum (48) and Guptil (53) set the stage for the win, sharing quickfire 84 runs for the first wicket.
“It was not predetermined. I think they (McCullum and Guptil) had in their minds that some of these small totals are very tricky to chase. They just played their natural game and gave us a good start. If we didn’t have got that start, it could have turned out to be really tricky,” Vettori said after the match.
He also praised his bowlers, especially Grant Elliot (4/31) for bowling out a strong England batting line-up for less than 150.
“I am pleased with the bowlers. The toss was crucial as it was a difficult wicket to bat early on. We managed to put some pressure on England early on. .
—Agencies