Auckland [New Zealand], November 4 (ANI): New Zealand fast bowler Jacob Duffy admitted that late starts during the ongoing home tour against India have been "definitely a factor" in his team's inability to defend totals, after the hosts suffered a five-wicket defeat in the first ODI at Eden Park.
New Zealand were bowled out for 185 after being asked to bat first, before India chased down their revised target of 143 in 32 overs following rain interruptions. It was the fourth time in five matches on the tour that New Zealand failed to defend a total.
While the five-match T20I series began at 8 pm local time, the ODIs have a 3 pm start. Duffy, who returned figures of 3/49 in the opening ODI, felt the conditions later in the day made defending a target difficult.
"Everyone wins the toss and bowls first for a reason," Duffy said after the match, according to Cricinfo. "I'm not saying it's impossible [to defend], don't get me wrong. It's not like we're giving up as soon as we've lost a toss. But as soon as you get a little bit of moisture in the wicket - I thought tonight there was a bit of wind around, and we actually might not [get that moisture], but I guess the rain sort of adds that moisture that the dew would have otherwise."
"When it does skid on like that, it sort of takes away the tackiness, and that sort of tennis-ball bounce we saw in their innings, which that's what I thought made the ball [skid]," he added.
New Zealand have batted first on all five occasions when India won the toss and elected to field. The only time the hosts successfully defended a total was in the fourth T20I, when their record score of 259 proved too much for India.
Duffy also acknowledged that 185 was never going to be enough at Eden Park, particularly against an Indian batting line-up that capitalised on the conditions during the chase.
"Obviously, I think they bowled really well. I think they've got some big boys in that bowling tech, and they used the bounce of the surface really well," Duffy said. "So, yeah, they did that well, and we probably just weren't at our best with the bat to start with, and then it was pretty tough to defend 180 [185], and then, you know, they can just come hard like that and just knock a few off pretty quick," said Duffy, as per Cricinfo.
India's pace attack, comprising Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar and Anshul Kamboj, claimed all nine wickets taken by the bowlers, with the other dismissal coming through a run-out. Duffy credited the Indian quicks for hitting the seam and making effective use of the bounce on offer.
India captain Shubman Gill had stressed the importance of having tall fast bowlers ahead of the first ODI, with Brar among the tall pacers being tried as India prepare for next year's ODI World Cup.
Despite the modest target, New Zealand managed to take five wickets in India's chase, including three in quick succession after Gill and Virat Kohli had put together a 113-run second-wicket partnership. Duffy, however, felt the late breakthrough came too late to change the outcome.
"We showed our intent for the series. We're not going to back down," Duffy said, according to Cricinfo. "We're going to come hard at these guys and show what we've got. In this situation, the short ball seemed to work a little bit, so that was the option to put our stamp on the series, I guess."
New Zealand will look to bounce back in the second ODI as they aim to level the five-match series. (ANI)
Jacob Duffy says late starts a factor in New Zealand's struggle to defend totals against India
