Ones to watch this cricket world cup featuring New Zealand's Trent Boult
Day two of the Cricket World Cup is in the books. Here's everything you need to know from the overnight action.
West Indies crush Pakistan in opener
Chris Gayle backed up a short-bowling barrage by his pacemen by smashing a 34-ball 50 to lead West Indies to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup.
Underlining its status as a dangerous outsider for the title, West Indies skittled out Pakistan for 105 in 21.4 overs — the team's second lowest total in the history of the tournament.
West Indies' Chris Gayle leaves the field after his dismissal for 50 runs during a Cricket World Cup match against Pakistan at Trent Bridge cricket ground in Nottingham. Photo / AP
Gayle then played a starring role in the run chase, plundering three sixes and six fours in the only half-century of the match as the West Indies reached its target in 13.4 overs.
The 39-year-old opener, playing in his final World Cup, walked off gingerly after sustaining an injury during his innings in a potential concern for the Windies on just the second day of the World Cup.
Six Pakistan batsmen fell to short balls as the West Indies pace attack continued to bang the ball into the deck. Only once has Pakistan lost more wickets to short balls in an ODI since 2006, CricViz Analyst reports.
Only once in the CricViz database (2006-present) have Pakistan lost more wickets to short balls in an ODI than the six wickets they lost today. #CWC19pic.twitter.com/z5JJzfdpgu
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) May 31, 2019
Remarkably, Andre Russell's first 16 deliveries were short balls — pitching more than 8m from the batsman's stumps, according to Ben Jones of CricViz.
"It was the execution of a repetitive plan over 16 balls, doing the same thing over, and over, and over again," Jones wrote. "He ran in, he bowled a short ball. He ran in again, and bowled another, then did that 14 more times.
West Indies' bowler Andre Russell, left, celebrates with Darren Bravo taking the wicket of Pakistan's Haris Sohail during a Cricket World Cup match at Trent Bridge. Photo / AP
"Russell wasn't messing about with variation — he was bowling bouncers, and he was bowling 140km/h heat."
It was a furious approach echoed by Russell's fast bowling comrades and one Pakistan simply couldn't handle. In an age where changes of pace are seen as key in white-ball cricket, the West Indies flipped that logic on its head.
"Their approach is brilliant, it's shocking and unexpected," England great Graeme Swann said of the bumper barrage, according to the BBC. "Everyone expects wide yorkers, slower balls, but it was vintage stuff.
"No one expects this anymore — to run up and just get a barrage of short-pitched bowling.
"West Indies just played an old-fashioned game, actually, that may just take this World Cup by storm because people simply aren't used to it anymore.
The experienced seamer missed the Black Caps' final training with a right calf injury, and is unlikely to be able to take the new ball in Cardiff tonight.
Southee had impressed against India in the Black Caps' first warm-up game, and bowled during their first training upon reaching Cardiff, but picked up a knock during that session and didn't bowl in the nets during their final hitout.
New Zealand's Tim Southee celebrates the dismissal of India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the Cricket World Cup warm up match between India and New Zealand. Photo / AP
His misfortune is set to hand an opportunity to Matt Henry, who was initially tipped to be carrying the drinks after undergoing a tight battle with Southee this summer for the second opening bowling spot alongside Trent Boult.
Southee's experience – and Henry conceding 107 runs in nine overs to the West Indies in a warm-up in Bristol – had perhaps given Southee the inside running, but with not much to separate the pair, risking Southee at this stage of the tournament is probably unnecessary.
The Black Caps' strategy to win the World Cup
As he prepares for his side's opening game against Sri Lanka tonight, Kane Williamson provided his customary calm and calculated analysis as to why he's doesn't believe his side will need to blast from ball one in every outing.
"We know that not every game is going to be a 350 score, and we saw that in two warm-up games we played," Williamson explained.
"I think that's important to be aware of throughout this tournament. I guess it's easy to get ahead of yourself and go, 'this is what we're going to need to', versus 'what we need to do now in this current situation to give us the best chance'."
Black Caps captain Kane Williamson talks to the media during a press conference. Photo / Photosport
It's a markedly different approach from where the Black Caps stood at the last World Cup. Led by Brendon McCullum, New Zealand created an aggressive brand of cricket, but Williamson explains that the current make-up of the side – featuring plenty of players adept at building long innings and accumulating – requires tactical versatility.
"I guess for us at the last World Cup there was a trend in how we played. It was about being smart with the crop that we had to try and get the best performance that we could get. It meant we were aggressive in how we played. The ball swung. We looked to utilise that as well as we could.
"We're yet to know how things will shape in this tournament. Whether it's guys having to push a bit harder on a particular surface on a given day, then that may be what's required. Equally, it may not be the case and it's about guys adjusting to perhaps what one-day cricket used to look a little bit more like where the scores are a little bit lower and much more scrappy mentality.
"So there won't be one way to play - it's just being smart with how we look to operate."
