Criket News - I don't think we expected it to be that easy

New Zealand thumped Kenya by 10 wickets in a lop-sided Group A match of the World Cup on Sunday that appears to justify bids to trim the 2015 edition of the showpiece event by leaving out the whipping boys.


The sparse crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium witnessed a total mis-match as New Zealand unleashed their pace trio of Tim Southee (3-13), Hamish Bennett (4-16) and Jacob Oram (3-2) to bundle out Kenya for a meagre 69 in 23.5 overs and returned to overwhelm the target in eight overs.


There was not much room for batting practice chasing a 70-run victory target but openers Martin Guptill (39) and Brendon McCullum (26) stroked some easy boundaries before completing the chase.

The outcome strengthens the International Cricket Council's bid for a 10-team World Cup in 2015, accommodating the weaker teams in the Twenty20 World Cup instead.

"I don't think we expected it to be that easy," New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori told reporters after a perfect start to the tournament suggested the team was determined to put behind a poor build-up that included whitewash against Bangladesh.

"To bowl well and allow the batsmen such a small chase is always pleasing. It was a fantastic efforts by the bowlers," he added.

Source:- Rediff