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The BLACKCAPS bowlers have developed a liking for one-day cricket at Westpac Stadium and none more so than Tim Southee.
On a pitch offering some assistance, the 22-year-old from Whangarei ripped through Pakistan's batting lineup as the tourists were bundled out for 124 and New Zealand cruised to a nine-wicket win here yesterday in the first of six one-day internationals.
Southee was magnificent at the top of the innings, consistently swinging the ball away from the right-handers and with the odd bit of movement both ways off the pitch.
He finished with figures of five for 33 from 9.3 overs, his first five-for at one-day level.
His previous best figures from 39 matches are four for 36, in a win against Australia last year at the same stadium.
"The bowlers do enjoy playing here and it's a reasonably big ground as well, it's not small like some of the rugby grounds around New Zealand," Southee said.
"The wicket has certainly been bowler-friendly for the last few years."
The key to maintaining the swing throughout the innings had been the condition of the ball.
"The white ball usually swings early on anyway and we managed to look after it. It didn't really scuff up so we were helped out in that way," he said.
"I don't think it did a lot off the pitch, it was more just the swing. The ball stayed in good nick and we were able to swing it for long periods of time."
Southee bowled well without luck during the 0-1 test series loss to Pakistan but he reaped the rewards yesterday even if he was keen to deflect the praise.
"Everyone bowled well and I guess I was just the lucky one who picked up the wickets. It could have been any of the other bowlers the way we bowled."
Southee and co handed Allan Donald the perfect start to his tenure as New Zealand bowling coach.
The former South African quick only joined the team last Thursday but Hamish Bennett, who impressed in taking with three for 26 from eight overs, said he had already made an impact on the bowlers.
"He's got to see us bowl a bit more before he can throw a few ideas our way, but I think he can do a lot just by turning up," Bennett said today.
"Having his presence is pretty cool, eh. He was a great fast bowler and just having him around, you look at him and think 'wow, that's Allan Donald'."
Pakistan's total continued a trend of low recent scores batting first in Wellington.
Australia were dismissed for 148 in 2007, England 130 a year later and West Indies 128 in 2009. Pakistan could not even match those efforts, although they did eke past the lowest total at the ground, 89 by England in 2002.
New Zealand have been on the right side of the ledger on all those occasions and have now won seven successive one-day matches at Wellington.
The second match of the series is at Queenstown on Wednesday.
NZPA
