Henry strikes first against India, once more

Henry’s exceptional performance with the new ball was the highlight of his spell, as he took 5 wickets for just 42 runs in his 8 overs. His ability to keep India’s total in check on a slow pitch was crucial, ultimately restricting them to 249/9.

Come to think of it, no New Zealand resource should come as a surprise. Certainly not Henry. India would remember the Canterbury pacer from six months ago when he led the charge to bundle them out for 46 in the Bengaluru Test. That was on a pitch with a tinge of green. For Henry’s pitch-perfect good lengths, those were tailor-made conditions.

Rohit Sharma would remember him from the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final when he pegged India back with his new ball spell. But that was Manchester, and the ball was nipping around. Then, Henry’s early strikes had reduced India to 24/4 in the first ten.

For him, to combine with Kyle Jamieson and reduce India to 37/3 in the Powerplay on a sluggish Dubai surface was the most creditable.

Gill was the first to go, for once carried away by Rohit’s aggressive advances down the track. He tried to take a leaf out of the captain’s playbook, only to see a short of good length delivery tease his outside edge. His immediate response was to retreat, and Henry knew Gill would go on to the back foot. The batter wasn’t prepared for the pacer to flick his wrist and bring one in and was trapped in front. His review proved a waste as replays showed the ball would have gone on to hit leg stump.

Jamieson at the other end was bowling even more accurately and got Rohit to mistime a pull and sent him back. Then came Glenn Phillips’s moment of magic. Kohli had been testing out Henry’s hard lengths. But he was also challenging backward point. Not for long as Philips ended Kohli’s stay by taking one of those flying catches, diving full length to his right, which reminded one of the ‘90s sensation Jonty Rhodes. The catch left Kohli in shock. Also the stadium, still picking up crowd strength. It was as much Philips’ dismissal as Henry’s and another example of New Zealand’s teamwork doing the trick.

When Henry returned for his final spell, India were 216/6 in 45 overs with Hardik Pandya at the crease with Ravindra Jadeja. India were aiming for some lusty blows to swing the match decisively in their favour from a slow-burn ODI. Again, it was Henry who would deny them.

He first got Jadeja (16) out of the way, with another excellent catch at backward point, this time Kane Williamson leaping to the left to complete it. Hardik began finding some hitting momentum soon, but Henry would end his stay on 45 with a slower bouncer in the final over.

It was yet another bowling show on a tired Dubai pitch where pacers would do more of the wicket-taking. While India went with four spinners, New Zealand used a battery of pacers. Their three fast bowlers bowled half the overs, picked up seven of the nine wickets that fell.

But it was Henry who came out with the richest haul. Not for the first time against India.

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