Allen, Phillips steer New Zealand U19 to consolation win

New Zealand U19 finished itsGroup D commitment in the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2016 with a convincing four-wicket win against Ireland U19 in a 48-overs-a-side game at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah on Monday (February 1).

With both teams having been relegated to the Plate stage after losing to India U19 and Nepal U19, the game had only academic interest in the larger perspective but New Zealand would have been happy that its batsmen managed to construct a successful chase after two failed attempts.

After Rachin Ravindra and Josh Finnie, the captain, took three wickets each to bowl Ireland out for 212 in 47.5 overs, New Zealand rode on half-centuries from Fin Allen and Dale Phillips to finish the game in 40.1 overs.

New Zealand started its chase with purpose as Daniel Stanley and Glenn Phillips put on 33 runs in 6.4 overs. But Rory Anders struck four times to reduce New Zealand to 45 for 4. That is when Allen and Phillips got together.

They played cautiously, collecting the odd boundary for nine overs, before deciding to break free in the 24th over bowled by Gary McClintock, which yielded 20 runs.

That released the pressure and things became easy after that, as they hit at least a boundary in six of the next ten overs before Phillips was trapped in front of the wicket for 58.

With 27 needed after that, the focus shifted to Allen, who was then unbeaten on 84. He looked set to become the fifth batsman to score a century in this edition of the World Cup but Tucker bowled him for 97 in the 38th over.

Ravindra and Nathan Smith completed the formalities with 59 balls to spare.

Even though Ireland lost all its three league games, it would be particularly delighted with the way Anders has delivered. A first-change right-arm seamer sporting a black headband like John Mooney, he bowls with a lot of discipline. His figures of 3 for 35 were chiefly responsible for reducing India to 55 for 4, and against New Zealand, he had returns of 4 for 32.

Before Anders gave Ireland something to cheer about, its top-order batsmen had shown good intent after being asked to bat first in overcast conditions.

Jack Tector (56), Adam Dennison (46) and McClintock (34) had taken Ireland to 167 for 3 in 38 overs. The stage was set for the team to finish the innings on a strong note, but Finnie’s twin strikes in the 39th over gave New Zealand the opening it was looking for.

Ravindra, who accounted for Tector, too kept things tight, as the spinners finished with a combined analysis of 17-1-66-6. Two run outs by Smith towards the end meant that Ireland failed to utilise 13 balls in its innings.

For full scorecard of the match click here.