50 overs New Zealand 311 for 7 (Ryder 107, N McCullum 65, Styris 58*) v Pakistan
Jesse Ryder brings up his half-century off 34 balls, New Zealand v Pakistan, 6th ODI, Auckland, February 5, 2011
The smiles were back on Jesse Ryder's face, while the fury was directed at Pakistan's bowling © AFP
Jesse Ryder put behind his recent running woes and twitter travails to rattle a 82-ball hundred, before Scott Styris and Nathan McCullum pummelled Pakistan's tardy end-overs bowling to take New Zealand to 311. Their cause was helped by Pakistan's experimental approach to the dead rubber, as an off-colour Sohail Tanvir was given an extended run to find rhythm. He, however, failed to find his groove and was looted to the tune of 78 runs in his eight overs, as New Zealand belatedly sparked into life, showing the intent they have been desperately lacking in recent times.
Ryder had been chastised earlier in the week for expressing his anger over Twitter following his run-out in a domestic game, but today he focused his fury on the opposition. Pakistan's fast-bowling machinery has worked in perfect synchrony through the series, with the exception of Sohail, and the trend continued today. Ryder tuned in with a flick and a glance as Sohail drifted into his pads, to reignite the innings following Brendon McCullum's dismissal - under-edging Sohail in an attempt to launch him over long-off.
Sohail had gone at over six-an-over in his first four overs before Ryder spanked him out of the attack with three bombastic sixes in his fifth. Sohail over-pitched, Ryder went down on a knee to jab him beyond square-leg; he dropped short and Ryder pulled disdainfully over wide long-on. Sohail then attempted a slower ball on a length, and saw it being clubbed down the ground.
Pakistan chose not to delay the bowling Powerplay, and Ryder responded with two inside-out drives off Mohammad Hafeez, one along the ground and the other over wide long-off. Umar Gul was then dragged to the midwicket boundary as Ryder reached 50 off 34 balls. He acknowledged the milestone by cracking Gul through point and hooking him off-balance over the short boundary at fine-leg.
At the other end, Martin Guptill found his release after a cautious start, with a couple of edgy boundaries off Shoaib Akhtar, who was not as pacy as in the previous game. Guptill focused on feeding Ryder with the strike in a stand of 123 that featured contrasting methods.
With the field restrictions lifted, Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq reined New Zealand in. Razzaq had been miserly with the new ball in the previous games, and repeated the dose in the middle overs today as both batsmen slowed down. From 108 for 1 in the 16th over, Pakistan could add only 33 in 9.3 overs before Guptill perished looking to attack Razzaq in the 25th. Razzaq promptly threw another punch, getting Ross Taylor to nick a subtle legcutter behind.
Around this time, Ryder picked up a niggle that forced him to ask for a runner, but he ensured Brendon did not have much running to do for him. Ryder moved into the 90s with another heave over fine leg, on a rare instance when Razzaq messed his lines, before swiping Shoaib in the same region. James Franklin was caught behind off Shoaib in the 33rd over, before Ryder brought up his ton with a fine glance. However, with his mobility clearly hampered by the injury, Ryder looked to target the boundary, and holed out against Hafeez as New Zealand lost 4 for 49 in 11 overs.
Wary of their longish tail in Jacob Oram and Daniel Vettori's absence, New Zealand chose to conserve resources for the late surge. Sohail's return into the attack signalled the end of the ceasefire, as Nathan tickled him to fine leg, before dumping Hafeez over long-on. Styris indulged himself as well, threading Sohail through the covers as New Zealand warmed up for the batting Powerplay, taken for the last five overs of the innings.
For a change, the batting team made good use of the restrictions. Gul was looted for a six and a four in the 46th over, and Nathan played the field smartly to carve boundaries over the infield off Afridi in the 47th. After fluffing a straightforward run-out chance earlier, and conceding 14 runs in his over, Afridi also messed up with his bowling changes. Despite Razzaq and Shoaib having three overs each, Sohail's off-skew lines and Hafeez's part-time fare were preferred in the death. The result - nine fours and three sixes were plundered as the Powerplay yielded 72. Both Styris and Nathan helped themselves to half-centuries as the innings ended like it a blaze of big hits. As they hunt for a rare victory, New Zealand will hope for a similar lack of intensity from their opponents in the chase.
Nitin Sundar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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