Latham hits ton as NZ down India in first ODI

AUCKLAND: Tom Latham was left thanking his lucky stars after smashing a majestic century to steer New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over India in Friday´s opening one-day international in Auckland.

Latham hammered 19 fours and five sixes in an unbeaten innings of 145 runs off 104 balls. It was his seventh ODI century and his highest score in the format.

“It was one of those days when everything comes off. I don´t really know where that came from – the stars aligned, things fall into place,” Latham said of his man-of-the-match innings.

The Black Caps were set 307 to win at Eden Park before Latham and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson put on a winning partnership of 221 runs.

“We bowled short of length and that´s where Latham attacked us,” said India captain Shikhar Dhawan.

“We couldn´t make a breakthrough when the partnership was on. Latham took the game away for us and that´s when the momentum shifted.”

Williamson finished on 94 not out as New Zealand went one up in the ODI series, having lost the Twenty20 series to India.

“It was an incredible knock by Tommy (Latham) -- he was absolutely on fire,” said Williamson.

“We were talking in the middle about just getting through the overs, but then he just flicked the switch.

“It was one of the more special ODI knocks I have seen and it was nice to be at the other end to watch it.”

After being put into bat by New Zealand, India put up 306 and then did not allow New Zealand´s openers to settle as the chase began. Finn Allen and then Devon Conway edged shots to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

India gave ODI debuts to pace bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik, who celebrated with the wickets of Conway and Daryl Mitchell in quick succession as New Zealand laboured to 88-3.

However, it quickly turned into a miserable evening for India´s bowlers.

Williamson dug in with a superb array of shots, including a 79-metre six.

He was well supported by Latham, who grew in confidence as the pair broke the Indian bowling momentum and took New Zealand to the finish line.

Earlier, India´s captain Dhawan put on a superb opening partnership of 124 with Shubman Gill.

Dhawan smashed 13 fours as he made 72 runs off 77 balls before being caught off the bowling of Tim Southee, who claimed his 200th ODI wicket for New Zealand.

India´s run rate slowed as Pant and then Suryakumar Yadav were dismissed, leaving the visitors on 160-4.

Score Board

New Zealand won the toss

India Innings

Dhawan (c) c Allen b Southee 72

Gill c Conway b Ferguson 50

Shreyas c Conway b Southee 80

Rishabh Pant †b Ferguson 15

Yadav c Allen b Ferguson 4

Samson c Phillips b Milne 36

Washington Sundar not out 37

Thakur c †Latham b Southee 1

Extras: (b 2, lb 1, w 8) 11

Total: 50 Ov (RR: 6.12) 306/7

Did not bat: Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Fall of wickets: 1-124, 2-124, 3-156, 4-160, 5-254, 6-300, 7-306

Bowling: Tim Southee 10-0-73-3, Matt Henry 10-1-48-0, Lockie Ferguson 10-1-59-3, Mitchell Santner 10-0-56-0, Adam Milne 10-0-67-1

New Zealand Innings

Allen c †Pant b Thakur 22

Conway c †Pant b Umran 24

Williamson (c) not out 94

Mitchell c DJ Hooda b Umran 11

Latham † not out 145

Extras: (lb 3, nb 2, w 8) 13

Total: 47.1 Ov (RR: 6.55) 309/3

Did not bat: Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson

Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-68, 3-88

Bowling: Arshdeep Singh 8.1-0-68-0, Shardul Thakur 9-1-63-1, Washington Sundar 10-0-42-0, Umran Malik 10-0-66-2, Yuzvendra Chahal 10-0-67-0

Match Result: NZ won by 7 wickets

Player of the match: Tom Latham

Umpires: Chris Brown, Chris Gaffaney