New Zealand vs Scotland, 6th Match, Pool A - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

For Scotland, it is an opportunity to prove that the Associate nations are not to be taken too lightly. They will be geared up to put up more than just a good fight and that offers us a lip-smacking contest.

In late January, New Zealand played Sri Lanka twice in Dunedin and both times, posted a score above 300. The wicket at Dunedin for the Scotland game is expected to play a lot similar to the one that was on offer during the Sri Lanka series.

Run-making is expected to be easy on a true paced wicket and both the teams would love a first crack at the opposition bowling.

A moan rang around the University Oval ground in Dunedin as hometown hero Brendon McCullum won the toss and opted to field. McCullum reckoned that the pitch, despite being good for batting, would have something in it for the quicks in the first hour. New Zealand named an unchanged line-up for the game against which meant that they continued with the three pacers - Boult, Southee and Milne.

Preston Mommsen wasn't particularly perturbed by the prospect of having to bat first on what he observed to be a good batting wicket. Scotland came into the game with a string of positive results and would have been buoyed by what fellow associate Ireland achieved the day before.

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum(c), Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi(w), Daniel Vettori, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult

Scotland: Kyle Coetzer, Calum MacLeod, Hamish Gardiner, Matt Machan, Preston Mommsen(c), Richie Berrington, Matthew Cross(w), Josh Davey, Rob Taylor, Majid Haq, Iain Wardlaw

There will be a bit in it for the first 45 minutes, we will look to exploit the early moisture on the wicket.
There will be a bit in it for the first 45 minutes, we will look to exploit the early moisture on the wicket.

- New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum on the wicket condition.

Trent Boult got the ball to swing back in to the right-handers and dismissed Calum MacLeod and Hamish Gardiner off successive deliveries with pacy inswingers that trapped the shuffling batsmen plumb in front of the wicket.

Scotland were reduced to 1/2 at the end of two overs.

I'll do anything that you do.

Tim Southee replicated Boult's feat of taking two in two when he dismissed Kyle Coetzer and Scotland skipper Preston Mommsen off successive deliveries in his third over to leave Scotland reeling at 12/4 after 5 overs.

First, Coetzer flicked a full delivery on his pads straight to the Grant Elliott at mid-wicket. In hindsight, that was perhaps the only delivery that didn't merit a wicket. However, the next ball to captain Mommsen was full and nipped back after pitching to strike the batsman on the pad. Mommsen opted to review but the decision stayed..

Matt Machan stopped the procession of wickets and continued to defy the New Zealand quicks with an assured technique. The left-handed batsman was happy to trust the bounce and leave it on length while confidently stroking straight down the wicket to the fuller deliveries. Machan and Richie Berrington added a patient 30-run stand to calm the nerves.

Meanwhile McCullum introduced Daniel Vettori into the attack in the fourteenth over.

Coming together at 12/4, Matt Machan and Richie Berrington batted circumspectly to ensure Scotland didn't lose another wicket as they passed 50 in the 17th over. Steady batting.

Scotland made an astonishing recovery through Matt Machan and Richie Berrington to reach 100 in the 27th over after being put in. At one stage, the opening bursts of Boult and Southee had reduced Scotland to 12/4. And then, Machan and Berrington took over. The left-handed Machan played his strokes to lead Scotland's recovery. He completed a deserved half-century off 71 balls.

Corey Anderson bounced out Machan (56) and Berrinton (50) after the duo put on a resolute 97-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Brought into the attack behind Vettori and Elliott, Anderson first removed Machan when the batsman top-edged a pull mid-on where Brendon McCullum completed a superb catch.

In his next over, a ball after Berrington had reached a 79-ball fifty, Anderson delivered a short-delivery from around the wicket and had the batsman top-edging an attempted pull-shot straight down the throat of fine-leg.

After recovering from 12/4, Scotland found themselves in trouble again at 118/6.

Save a 97-run stand between Matt Machan (56) and Richie Berrington (50), Scotland endured a torrid time in Dunedin against pre-tournament favourites and hosts New Zealand and duly folded for 142 after Brendon McCullum won the toss and inserted the opposition under nippy conditions.

Trent Boult and Tim Southee picked two wickets apiece as Scotland slipped to 12/4 in the 5th over. Machan and Berrington then staged a fine rescue act and scored valiant half-centuries before Corey Anderson bounced the duo out. Anderson added another wicket to finish with figures of 3/18 from his 5 overs. Daniel Vettori completed the proceedings by removing the final three to cap off a solid bowling performance.

Corey Anderson picked his third wicket when Matthew Cross under-edged a wide delivery outside off stump to the keeper.

Daniel Vettori came back into the attack to dismiss tailenders Rob Taylor and Majid Haq in successive overs, the former was stumped trying to step out of the crease while Haq edged one to slip.

Scotland's innings folded for 142 when when Vettori trapped last man Iain Wardlaw plumb in front of the stumps to complete a fine bowling performance.

Martin Guptill began New Zealand's chase of 142 with a couple of well-timed boundaries. But he attempted an ungainly shot against a good-length delivery from Iain Wardlaw and only succeeded in edging it to keeper Matthew Cross for a simple catch.

Scotland should have had Brendon McCullum when he flicked Rob Taylor uppishly only for Gardiner to grass the catch.New Zealand reached 39/1 in 6 overs.

Brendon McCullum became Iain Wardlaw's second victim when he guided a length delivery on off-stump straight to the wicket-keeper. McCullum looked like he wanted to finish the match off in a hurry and needlessly played at a ball he ought to have dealty with circumspectly.

Kane Williamson continued to bat in a style he knows best, oblivious to what was happening around him, and moved on to 22 off 23. New Zealand went into lunch at 63/2 in 9 overs, needing only 80 more to win.

In a bid to reach the 142 target quickly, Ross Taylor holed out to the deep mid-wicket fielder when he attempted an ill-advised slog sweep against Majid Haq but ended up getting more height than distance. Kane Williamson and new man Grant Elliott however batted positively to take New Zealand closer to the win.

Kane Williamson stepped out and attempted an uncharacteristic heave against Josh Davey, got a thin inside edge and was caught behind. Williamson fell for 38 with New Zealand requiring a further 37 runs to win the match.

Grant Elliott was the next to go when he edged Iain Wardlaw to the keeper. Elliott became Wardlaw's third scalp.

In the next over, Corey Anderson found the fine-leg fielder when a mistimed flick shot ballooned up in the air. They slipped further with under 10 runs to win when Luke Ronchi looked to finish the game with a big six, but found the deep mid-wicket fielder to precision to give Josh Davey his third wicket.

Comical from New Zealand.

In the end, the match was never as close as the scorecard suggested. But for some lackadaisical batting, New Zealand were expected to overhaul Scotland's total of 142 at a canter. Credit to Scotland for spiritedly fighting even when the cause seemed lost. At the end, the performance of New Zealand's new ball bowlers gave the hosts a 3-wicket win over Scotland.

The writing was on the wall five overs into the game when New Zealand, after inserting Scotland, had them reduced to 12/4, thanks to some incisive bowling by Trent Boult and Tim Southee. Matt Machan and Richie Berrington shared an impressive 97-run stand and looked set to take the total past 200 before Corey Anderson and Daniel Vettori took the final six wickets for 33 runs to bowl Scotland out for 142.

Chase of 143 was never going to test New Zealand but Scotland stuck at it and kept plugging away at the wickets, Iain Wardlaw and Josh Davey picking three apiece, to make the game slightly interesting. Eventually New Zealand crossed over the line with almost 25 overs to go. With 2 wins out of 2, New Zealand have made a solid start to the tournament.