New Zealand vs Windies, 2nd T20I, Review: Match called off after Munro’s quickfire fifty

While it promised to be a cracker of a show between New Zealand and Windies with a flat pitch and small boundaries at the Bay Oval, it all ended in disappointment. Only 9 overs of play was possible in the match because of persistent rain. However, whatever action unfolded, it was pure entertainment as Collin Munro blasted his way to a half century and made the New Year’s Day a little extra special for those who turned up to watch.

After being inserted to bat first by the West Indies skipper Carlos Brathwaite, the Black Caps didn’t have a great start as Martin Guptill played a rank bad shot on the 4th ball of the very first over and was dismissed at the score of 2. It was a wide delivery going further away from the right-hander with the natural angle of the left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell and Guptill instead of leaving it alone, tried to chase it without moving his feet and could only nick it to the keeper.

However, Munro counterpunched and pushed the visitors on the back foot soon. The 30-year old who had a great time in the shortest format of the game last year as well displayed some scintillating power hitting again as he just dispatched the West Indies bowlers. He was lucky on a couple of occasions as well when the fielders couldn’t grab the easy opportunities, but his stroke-play, when he got it right, was of the highest standard.

While Munro picked up length deliveries beautifully through the on the side from the square leg to the midwicket region, the moment the bowlers drag their lengths, he was very quick to rock back on the back foot too and play it square of the wicket on both sides. He was looking all set for his 3^rd T20 international century when he mistimed one off Kesrick Williams to be holed out at long on, but he had done enough damage before that by scoring 66 off just 23 balls with 11 fours and 3 massive sixes.

West Indies managed a couple of more breakthroughs after Munro’s departure and seemed to be making a comeback in the game when the rains arrived and just refused to go away. It did get a bit lighter on occasions and raised some hope of the resumption of the game, but it never quite stopped completely and the umpires, after remaining patient for about a couple of hours, eventually called the match off.

Brief Scores:

New Zealand:  102/4 in 9 overs (Collin Munro 66, Ashley Nurse 13/1 in 2 overs)