The Black Caps celebrate as Tim Southee takes a wicket against Uganda. Photo / Getty Images
The Black Caps celebrate as Tim Southee takes a wicket against Uganda. Photo / Getty Images
It may be too little, too late, but the Black Caps are on the board at the T20 World Cup, after defeating Uganda in Trinidad for their first victory of this year’s tournament.
As the two nations met for the first time in any format, New Zealand showed the gulf in class between a test and associate nation, taking a nine-wicket win.
After winning the toss and bowling first for the third match in succession, Kane Williamson’s side restricted Uganda to a paltry 40, before requiring just 32 balls to reel in their target.
In a fine collective effort from the Kiwi attack, Uganda were under pressure from the first over, as no batter scored more than 11 runs.
And set just 41 runs for victory, Devon Conway (22 not out) saw the Black Caps over the line for a victory that was never in doubt from the day the tournament draw was in.
With the ball swinging under lights, Boult trapped wicket-keeper Simon Sseszai LBW for a golden duck, and then clean bowled No 3 Robinson Obuya with his next delivery to leave Uganda 1/2 in the first over.
That could have been three down in the third over, when Boult looked to have trapped Ronak Patel leg-before, only for the umpire’s out decision to be overturned.
At the other end, Southee removed Alpesh Ramjani for a six-ball duck, as an outswinger pinned the left-hander in front of the stumps for another LBW at 2/3.
Uganda's Robinson Obuya is clean-bowled by Trent Boult. Photo / AP
Boult missed his hat-trick and was unlucky to not have his third when Kenneth Waiswa survived a close LBW appeal, and celebrated by carving the Kiwi quick through point for the innings’ first boundary - even if it came in the fifth over.
And as Southee’s third over yielded just two runs, Uganda finished the powerplay with a paltry 9/3 - the lowest score for any side in the first six overs of a T20 World Cup game.
Mitchell Santner’s introduction saw Patel’s stay finally come to an end, as Devon Conway held onto a tidy catch behind the stumps to dismiss the Ugandan opener for a painful two runs from 20 balls.
A leg glance took Waiswa to double figures, only to lose his stumps four balls later when he missed a straight delivery from Lockie Ferguson at 15/5.
With their score reading 21/5 at the halfway stage, Rachin Ravindra’s introduction yielded the sixth wicket, as Riazat Ali Shah edged behind to Conway for a 13-ball two.
Looking to up the run rate, Dinesh Nakrani gave Ravindra his second when he holed out to Glenn Phillips at midwicket for four, before Southee returned to trap Fred Achelam LBW at 39/8.
That Southee strike broke Uganda’s biggest partnership of the innings, even if it was 13 runs from 24 balls with Brian Masaba.
One ball later, Southee had his third, another LBW as Jumya Miyagi missed a straight ball, before No 11 Cosmas Kyewuta survived the hat-trick delivery.
And as Santner had Kyewuta caught at slip by Daryl Mitchell, Uganda had set the Black Caps a target of just over two runs per over for victory.
In reply, Allen and Conway were slow out of the blocks, as a difficult pitch ensured scoring was restricted to mostly running between the wickets, content not to take any risks with the equation needing 41 runs in 120 balls.
Devon Conway scored 22 not out to guide New Zealand home. Photo / Getty Images
After a 16-ball stay for just nine runs, Allen fell when he was strangled down the leg side by Riazat in controversial scenes, as the third umpire deemed the noise had come from the bat hitting the ground, only to change his mind.
But with only 18 needed as Ravindra arrived at No 3, he and Conway finished off the chase before the end of the batting powerplay.
The Black Caps conclude their tournament early on Tuesday (NZ time), when they face Papua New Guinea at the same venue.
Meanwhile, the defeat completes Uganda’s tournament, after the African side made history firstly by even qualifying, before taking a three-wicket over PNG earlier this month for their first triumph at a major tournament.
Uganda 40 all out (Waiswa 11; Southee 3/4, Boult 2/7) New Zealand 41/1 (Conway 22 not out; Riazat 1/10)
Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.
