NEW ZEALAND narrowly avoided an embarrassing loss in a limited overs match against a local selection side at Chandigarh today.
They escaped with two-run victory in an informal 40-overs-per-side match against a Chandigarh Administrator's XI at sector 16 Stadium.
The Chandigarh Side comprised four New Zealand pLayers and seven Punjabis who have played first class cricket for their state.
The Kiwis laboured for their score of 181 for nine, which looked vulnerable when Canterbury batsman Craig McMillan hit an unbeaten 54 that took the Chandigarh XI to the brink of an unlikely victory. Chandigarh's challenge ended at 179 for seven when they suffered two run-outs in the final over, after McMillan scored his half century off 48 balls.
The tourists slumped to 30 for three in the ninth over, the early damage being inflicted by Central Districts seam bowler Andrew Penn, who eventually finished with three for 36 from seven overs. Among his victims was Kiwi captain Stephen Fleming, whom he dismissed for one with a superb catch off his own bowling.
Chris Cairns, 61 from 67 balls, and Matthew Horne, 38, reasserted New Zealand's position with a stand of 83 for the fourth wicket.
Fleming returned to the crease for a second hit and made 21 not out from 23 balls.
Result: New Zealand 181-9 (C Cairns 61, M Horne 38, S Fleming 21*; B Vij 4-28, A Penn 3-36, S O'Connor 1-35) beat Chandigarh Administrator's XI 178-7 (C McMillan 54*, D Mongia 52; D Patel 2-41, C Harris 1-14, H Davis 1-39) by two runs.
© The Waikato Times Limited 1997.
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