Jimmy Neesham celebrates taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Najibullah Zadran with Mitchell Santner. Photo / Getty Images
Jimmy Neesham celebrates taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Najibullah Zadran with Mitchell Santner. Photo / Getty Images
Andrew Alderson runs through how the Black Caps rated against Afghanistan.
Martin Guptill – 6
A royal duck did not bode well on the ratings meter, but his fielding bought him insurance. Wherever he stalks, batsmen feel threatened. Few are going to steal any runs on his beat at thistournament.
Colin Munro – 6
Came in off from deep point to catch Hazratullah "The Bruiser" Zazai off Jimmy Neesham to break into the Afghanistan order. Bludgeoned 22 to give New Zealand momentum towards their target.
Made 79 not out, his highest score in 16 World Cup innings, eclipsing a previous best of 57. Captaincy shone, persevering with Jimmy Neesham to coax out a maiden five-wicket bag.
Ross Taylor in batting action. Photo / Getty Images
Chief Luteru again showed the value of his acclimatisation to English conditions at Middlesex pre-tournament. He eased to 48 off 52 balls in an 89-run third-wicket partnership with Williamson.
Tom Latham – 8
If wicket-keepers are the drummers in a cricket team band, Tom Latham had a Charlie Watts solo. Took five catches, equalling the New Zealand record in an ODI innings, before crediting his rock star bowlers.
Jimmy Neesham – 10
After a couple of grim overs against Bangladesh and no training in the interim, the chances of Neesham taking five wickets for 31 runs – the best bowling figures of the tournament – seemed slim. Yet a consistent line and length drew Afghani errors and he blossomed with confidence as a result.
Colin de Grandhomme – 5
Quiet day, but a wide yorker coaxed replacement wicket-keeper Ikram Alikhil to flash a ball to point. Chased a couple of skyers to cow-corner early, but they fell into cricket's version of a Bermuda Triangle.
Didn't bowl, didn't bat, didn't catch… but was a circus act in run-saving, diving about the inner circle.
Matt Henry. Photo / Getty Images
Matt Henry – 5
Tough outing, especially against opener Hazratullah, whose bottom hand gripped the bat like an iron fist in a sausage glove, swinging at will. Henry was unlucky a couple of slogs weren't caught in the deep.
Lockie Ferguson – 8
Another storming effort, taking four wickets for 37 runs from 9.1 overs in Neesham's shadow. His extra pace blitzed the Afghanistan batsmen and looms as a threat to all opponents if he sustains it.
Trent Boult – 7
A display of line-and-length which consistently asked questions of the Afghani batsmen. They teased him by playing and missing in response. His figures of none for 34 from 10 overs still built run-rate pressure.
