Black Caps look to recapture T20 intensity

New Zealand will need to rediscover their intensity and fielding spark in their Twenty20 tri-series match against Australia in Sydney.

Stung by their recent Twenty20 series loss to Pakistan, New Zealand are looking to recapture their fielding spark when they face Australia on Saturday in Sydney.

Big-hitting allrounder Colin de Grandhomme says the Black Caps are looking to hit the ground running after a disappointing end to Pakistan's tour.

After winning the ODI series 5-0, the Kiwis won the first T20 by seven wickets but slumped to back-to-back defeats to lose the series.

De Grandhomme says the focus is simple ahead of the T20 tri-series against Australia and England.

"The focus will be on getting our fielding back to where it was in the one-day series," he said on Wednesday.

De Grandhomme is confident the Black Caps won't have any trouble recapturing the intensity that had been missing from their past two T20 matches.

England have found post-Ashes form in their return to white-ball cricket, winning their five-match ODI series 4-1 over Australia.

"It's nice to play two of the big teams in the world, and to do well against them will make us look even better," de Grandhomme said.

The Kiwis are looking to regain their No.1 position in the ICC's T20 world rankings, with Pakistan's recent series win edging them into first place, three points ahead of New Zealand.

"You always want to be on top of the world and, hopefully, we can get back there with this series.

"But England are very confident and aggressive with the white ball, so they're always going to be hard."

After Saturday's game at the SCG, the Black Caps return to New Zealand for a February 13 match against England in Wellington.

Their two remaining games are against Australia on February 16 at Eden Park, and England two days later in Hamilton.

The tri-series final will be played on February 21 in Auckland.


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Source: AAP


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Black Caps look to recapture T20 intensity | SBS News