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The BLACKCAPS have won their first World Twenty20 match against Scotland at Kennington Oval by seven wickets in thrilling match.
Rain reduced play to seven overs per side and with the BLACKCAPS stand in captain Brendon McCullum winning the toss and electing to bowl. Regular captain Daniel Vettori was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
Scotland got off to a flyer with 18 runs coming off the first Iain O’Brien over. Ryan Watson was the chief destroyer smashing 27 off 10 deliveries.
They didn’t stop there with Kyle Coetzer lashing 33 off 15 and Navdeep Poonia 27 off 15 as they put on 59 for the second wicket.
The BLACKCAPS pulled things back in the final Ian Butler over with a run-out, two wickets and only seven runs conceded but Scotland managed to take their total through to 89.
Brendon McCullum got the BLACKCAPS off to a great start hitting four boundaries in the first over.
The second over brought 12 runs before Jesse Ryder freed his arms in the third and blasted 20 off four deliveries before being caught at long off for 31 off 12 balls.
A mix up in the fourth over saw McCullum run-out off a no-ball for 18, bringing Jacob Oram to the crease.
Oram hit eight before holing out but Ross Taylor and Scott Styris managed to see the team home with an over to spare.
Taylor finished with 21 off 10 including two massive sixes. Styris hit eight off four.
Talking after the match Brendon McCullum said, "We were pretty nervous at around half time. They put us under pressure, we need to rectify our bowling a bit. We didn't have a lot of time to get ourselves in, but Ryder struck the ball really well.”
Scotland proved that the minnows can’t be taken lightly and gave the BLACKCAPS a fright today but the big hitters managed to see them home.
The BLACKCAPS next match is against South Africa at Lord’s on 9th June (UK time).
