Cricket news round-up – 11 July: New Zealand knock India out to reach World Cup final

New Zealand beat India by 23 runs in the first semi-final of the 2019 World Cup at Old Trafford. They will now play the final at Lord’s this Sunday. In other news, the Ireland-Zimbabwe T20Is at Belfast – both Women’s and Men’s – were washed out without a ball being bowled.

New Zealand reach final, India crash out

New Zealand broke a billion hearts of to knock India, who had topped the points table in the league phase, out of the 2019 World Cup with a 23-run win.

Resuming the day at 211/5 in 46.1 overs, New Zealand found it difficult to accelerate, especially after Ravindra Jadeja ran out Ross Taylor (74) with a direct hit and caught Tom Latham brilliantly. They finished on 239/8 as Bhuvneshwar Kumar took 3/43.

Matt Henry (3/37) and Trent Boult (2/42) then reduced India to 5/3 in the first 19 balls. The Indian top three – Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli – scored a run apiece.

Some resistance came from Rishabh Pant (32) and Hardik Pandya (32), but all seemed to be over after Mitchell Santner (2/34) removed both to leave India reeling at 92/6.

MS Dhoni (50 in 72 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (77 in 59) then added 116 in 104 balls to bring India back into the match, but once the partnership broke, India lost wickets in a heap.

Both matches called off at Belfast

The first T20Is of the Women’s and Men’s series between Ireland and Zimbabwe, scheduled to be played at Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast, were abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The second matches of both 3-match series will be played at Bready Cricket Club, Magheramason, Bready, on July 12.

County Championship Division 1 roundup

Kent beat Surrey by 5 wickets at The Oval. Darren Stevens (5/60) and Matt Milnes (4/61) first bowled out Surrey for 218, which meant that Kent had to chase 121.

Morne Morkel took out 2 wickets with his first 5 balls. Kent still stood with a chance when Surrey were 50/4, but Ollie Robinson’s counterattack (51* in 41) ensured there were not many hiccups.

County Championship Division 2 roundup

Ben Raine (5/47) and Nathan Rimmington (3/44) bowled Durham to a 119-run win over Leicestershire at Grace Road. Hassan Azad (62) batted grittily at the top against a target of 393, while Mark Cosgrove (60) held the middle order together. Unfortunately, the tail caved in, and from 210/4, and later, 272/7, the hosts were bowled out for 273.

Chasing 373, Worcestershire had been reduced to 48/5 on at Kidderminster on Day Three. Then Calum Ferguson (127) and Ben Cox (62) staged a remarkable comeback, adding 154. Brett D’Oliveira (30) and Joe Leach (28) kept the battle going, but in the end Ravi Rampaul (4/64), Tony Palladino (3/34), and Fynn Hudson-Prentice (3/42) turned out to be too much to handle. Derbyshire won by 82 runs.

Lancashire and Northamptonshire played out a draw at Northampton. Set 391, Lancashire were reduced to 185/4 at one point before Bohannon (65*) and Dane Vilas (53*) played out time.