Ross Taylor, Tom Latham Hit Tons As New Zealand Beat Board President's XI

New Zealand found some much-needed momentum heading into the ODI series against India, as they beat Board President's XI by 33 runs after Ross Taylor and Tom Latham struck breezy centuries in a warm-up match on Thursday. Owing to Taylor's 102 and Latham's 108 (both retired out) on a flat Brabourne Stadium track, New Zealand notched up a mammoth 343 for nine in the allotted 50 overs. The visitors then bowled out Board President's XI for 310 in 47.1 overs for a nice comeback win, two days after losing the opening practice game.

Electing to bat, Taylor (102 off 83 balls) and Latham (108 off 97 balls) struck magnificent tons, to set it up for New Zealand. Mitchell Santner (3-44), Tim Southee (2-22) and Colin Munro (2-25) were the chief wicket-takers, boosting their confidence ahead of the three-match series, which will be followed by as many T20 Internationals.

A 71-run seventh-wicket partnership between Gurkeerat Maan (65 off 46 balls) and Karn Sharma (19 off 25 balls) and a 64-run ninth-wicket stand, off 46 balls, between Jaydev Unadkat (44 off 24 balls) and Dhawal Kulkarni (24) only delayed the inevitable.

Unadkat hit Santner for two fours and a six in the 44th over, before being caught by Glenn Phillis off Matt Henry, while Mann struck seven fours and three sixes.

Earlier, Taylor and the left-handed Latham, steered the visitors out of trouble with a 167-run fourth-wicket stand, which came off 137 deliveries.

Latham, too, retired out after racing to his ton with a towering six over deep-square leg.

Taylor, who made 34 in the first warm-up game, was the cynosure of all eyes. While he brought up his fifty in 38 balls, he reached the three-figure mark in 81, by taking a cheeky single in the 38th over.

The seasoned Taylor played some eloquent cover-drives, cuts and pull-shots, lacing his knock with 14 fours and a six.

The right-handed batsman who got a life on 77, when BPXI skipper Shreyas Iyer dropped a sitter at point, made most of it. Taylor kept the spin duo of Karn Sharma and Shahbaz Nadeem at bay and so did Latham, whose knock comprised seven fours and a six.

Latham, who initially played a sheet anchor's role and aided Taylor, took the opposition bowlers to task with his sweeps and pulls. His partnership with Taylor meant the Kiwis, who were struggling at 73-3 at one stage, went beyond the 300 -run-mark.

Iyer took a single-handed blinder to send Henry Nicholos (24) off Jaydev Unadkat.

To start with, Martin Guptill (32) and Colin Munro (26) put on a 46-run opening stand. Skipper Kane Williamson (1) struggled to play spin and was castled by leggie Sharma.

Guptill got a life on 24 when Avesh Khan dropped an easy catch at deep square-leg off Sharma and there was another one as Nadeem dropped him off his own bowling.

For BPXI, Unadkat (4-57) was the most successful bowler.

Chasing a mammoth total, local boy Prithvi Shaw (22), who struck an impressive half century in the last game, was castled by left-arm spinner Santner. The other opener, Karun Nair made 53 off 54 balls, before Colin Munro had him caught and bowled.

Rishabh Pant (7) fell cheaply to give Santner his second wicket, with the hosts at 64-2.

Nair, who played second fiddle to Shaw initially, struck four boundaries in the eighth over off Colin De Grandhome.

Nair was joined by Iyer (24), whose knock comprised four fours, and added 57 runs for the fourth wicket before falling to Munro.

Nair then threw his wicket away and at 121/4 in the 21st over, the BPXI were staring a big defeat. Milind Kumar and Shivam Choudhary fell cheaply with the hosts needing 191 runs to win.

Brief scores:

New Zealand: 343/9 in 50 overs (Tom Latham retired out 108, Ross Taylor retired out 102; Jaydev Unadkat 4-57).

BPXI: 310 all out in 47.1 overs (Gurkeerat Maan 65, Karun Nair (53); Mitchell Santner (3-44).