T20 World Cup | Semi-final: When in trouble, call Neesham, Jimmy Neesham

Heard about James Bond? Let us tell you about another James, James Neesham. 

A New Zealand player who had a bat in his hand and not a gun but surely a licence to unleash an assault on the England bowlers in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday evening. 

Neesham had come out to bat when the Kiwis were in a spot of bother at 107/4 in 15.1 overs chasing 167 with a struggling Daryl Mitchell at the other end. While New Zealand had wickets in hand, they needed someone to push the paddle from the other side and Neesham did exactly the same. 

The left-handed batsman didn’t really take much time to get his eye in and began with the job. He was at 1 off 1 when the death over specialist Chris Jordan bowled in a decent manner in the match, was up against him. It took Neesham just six more deliveries to move to 20 off 7 and smack a couple of maximums and a four during the course. 

But the onslaught didn’t end there as England captain Eoin Morgan, in search of a wicket, handed the ball to Adil Rashid. The leggie did what his captain wanted him to but VERY, VERY LATE. 

Neesham had already scored a maximum in this 18th over and New Zealand had already got that boost of acceleration with his energy rubbing off on Daryl Mitchell. The right hander at the other end had hit Rashid for another six making his intentions clear that he wasn’t going to hold back.

The two batters had collected 14 runs in total before Neesham was caught by Morgan at extra cover for 27 off 11, a knock that included three sixes and a four. The equation had now become 20 off 12 with five wickets in hands down from 57 off 24 deliveries.

Mitchell later finished off the match in the penultimate over to help his side make a place for themselves in the final smashing two sixes and a four. He remained unbeaten at 72 off 47 and hit four sixes and as many fours during the course. 

Daryl Mitchell-Devon Conway’s stand

While James Neesham had taken the limelight for this chase, the foundation was laid by Daryl Mitchell and Devon Conway. New Zealand had a dismal start after they lost Martin Guptill who had been in some good knick and captain Kane Williamson early in the innings and were left tottering at 13/2 in the third over. 

But it was Mitchell and Conway who steadied the ship with a 82-run stand for the third wicket before the latter departed for 46 off 38 after he was stumped by Jos Buttler off Liam Livingstone. 

More than the partnership, it was about the way the two batsmen stitched it. They didn’t really show much hurry initially and took time to get themselves in the groove before going after the bowlers. While the English bowlers peppered Mitchell with short stuff, the batsman negotiated them well. 

The knock from him became more crucial as New Zealand haven’t really been getting stable starts from the opening pair and it was generally Daryl who was getting out early barring the game against India. 

Conway on the other side, lived up to the expectations and stood strong at the other end. 

Eoin Morgan’s captaincy

England skipper Eoin Morgan certainly missed the plot as he was in a desperate search of a wicket in the 18th over. Morgan handed the ball to Adil Rashid against someone like James Neesham who was in a different form on Wednesday. 

A leg spinner against a left-handed batsman who was in his zone of thrashing every possible delivery out of the park was a disastrous call. And this decision totally put New Zealand in the driver’s seat after the Kiwis collected 20 runs from this over. Another trick that the English skipper missed was not introducing Moeen Ali into the attack. 

An off-spinner might have done a better job and if not much, he could have at least kept a check on the scoring-rate which just kept on jumping with every passing ball. 

Also, Moeen had been riding on confidence after the kind of innings that he played and was among runs for the side which would have eventually helped him if he had come into the attack. 

Moeen Ali-David Malan provide resistance 

After being put into bat, England were off to a decent start but a couple of wickets pushed them on the backfoot for a while before Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan provided the resistance to the side. The two batters chipped in with a partnership of 63 runs for their wicket. 

While Malan began to cut loose a bit after he had settled in the middle, Moeen on the other side, took the back seat. But as soon as Malan departed for a 30-ball 41 in the 16th over, Moeen broke the shackles and started to score runs in a more brisk and aggressive manner. The left-handed batsman eventually remained not out for 51 off 17 which included two sixes and three fours. 

New Zealand’s brilliance in the field

The Blackcaps have been in some terrific form as far as their fielding is concerned and they unveiled yet another instance of this during the clash against England. 

Captain Kane Williamson grabbed a stunner at mid off to send Jonny Bairstow packing while the team saved around 10 runs if not more in total in the innings. 

Well, as they say, runs saved are runs scored. And this probably happened. 

But all said and done, New Zealand are the first finalists for this year’s T20 World Cup as they defeated England by 5 wickets.  

The 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup seems to feed the spectators and fans with those “break the jinx” instances. First, Pakistan did it after they defeated India for the first time in a World Cup fixture and now it’s New Zealand. 

New Zealand suffered a defeat in the 50-over World Cup final in 2019 and in the semi-final of the 2016 World T20 to England. But they have now defeated the English team in the knockout match and also booked a final spot for the first time in a T20 World Cup. 

They will either meet Pakistan or Australia in the title clash on Sunday, 14 November.