India-New Zealand 2nd ODI abandoned due to rain by Cricketarchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	New Zealand v India
Player:	SR Tendulkar, V Sehwag, MS Dhoni, BB McCullum, IG Butler
Event:	India in New Zealand 2008/09

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DateLine: 6th March 2009

 

The second ODI between India and New Zealand was abandoned due to bad weather at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. India lead the series 1-0. Earlier, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first and both the teams observed a minute of silence for the victims of the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in Pakistan before the match got underway. India did not made any change from the side that won the 1st ODI. For New Zealand, Brendon McCullum is playing as a specialist batsman and McGlashan is keeping wickets while Neil Broom was dropped.

 

Rain stopped play for the third time when India were 188/4 in 28.4 overs after the match was reduced to 34 overs. After waiting for 90 minutes, umpires decided to call off the game due to persistent rain. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (23) and Suresh Raina (13) were at the crease after the visitors lost Gautam Gambhir in quest of quick runs. As Dhoni took the batting powerplay, Gambhir hit a Iain O'Brien delivery over the covers for Grant Elliott to take the catch. Gambhir hit 2 fours in his 36-ball 30.

 

According to the revised playing conditions, three bowlers can bowl 7 overs, two bowlers can bowl 6. First powerplay is of 7 overs and the other two are 3 overs each. Before the second rain interruption, India lost Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh in quick succession to be reduced to 142/3. New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori dismissed Tendulkar in the third over when play resumed after a rain interruption, due to which the match was reduced to 44 overs. Sachin lost his wicket when he tried to sweep, missed the ball and was trapped plumb in front of the wicket after scoring 61 runs off 69 balls with the help of a six and 7 fours. Sachin had slammed his way to 91st ODI fifty before rain stopped play for the second time.

 

Soon after, Yuvraj edged a Kyle Mills delivery to wide first slip for Ross Taylor to take the catch. Yuvraj returned to the pavillion without troubling the scorers. Sachin became the aggressor after the dismissal of Virender Sehwag and reached his fifty off 57 deliveries.

 

Sachin's fifty came after a debatable by umpire Evan Watkin ended Sehwag's fiery knock to put India at 76/1 in 12.3 overs in the second ODI against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. The Ian Butler delivery clipped Sehwag's pads and went through to the Peter McGlashan keeper, the Kiwis appealed and umpire Watkin gave it out as Sehwag went off shaking his head after smashing his 35th ODI fifty off 32 balls. While Sachin looked assured at the crease, Sehwag took on the Kiwi bowlers smashing a six and 9 fours in his 36-ball 54. Four of those boundaries came off one over by Kyle Mills.