Santner and Kuggeleijn combined to take eight wickets
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Niall O’Brien’s maiden ODI hundred was not enough to lead Ireland to victory over New Zealand as Mitchell Santner’s five-wicket haul saw the Black Caps walk away with a 51-run win.
Being put in to bat first, New Zealand got off to a great start as Luke Ronchi and stand-in captain Tom Latham amassed a 53-run partnership before Ronchi was dismissed by Barry McCarthy for 37.
Latham went on to make 15 before he was caught behind off the bowling of McCarthy.
Ross Taylor and George Worker stabilised the innings with an 84-run partnership before Taylor was removed by Kevin O’Brien for 52, which came off 60 balls and included five boundaries.
Taylor scored his 34th ODI fifty
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Worker and Neil Broom kept the runs flowing with a 55-run stand, during which Worker brought up his half-century, before he was sent packing by Tim Murtagh for a career-best 50 off 89 deliveries, which included three boundaries.
Worker struck his maiden ODI half-century
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New Zealand continued to dominate with the bat as Broom and James Neesham amassed a 79-run partnership before Broom was run out by Paul Stirling for 79 off 63 balls, which included nine boundaries and a six.
Broom made his fourth fifty in ODI cricket
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Even though Colin Munro fell for a golden duck, Neesham’s quickfire 30 helped New Zealand finish on 289/7 off their 50 overs.
McCarthy and Murtagh picked up two wickets apiece, while Kevin O’Brien and Peter Chase chipped in with one wicket each.
Chasing 290 to win, Ireland were dealt a double blow early on as captain William Porterfield and Stirling were dismissed by debutant Scott Kuggeleijn for 12 and 14 runs respectively.
Andy Balbirnie and Niall O’Brien steadied the ship with an 86-run partnership before Balbirnie was caught and bowled by Santner for 36.
Despite Kevin O’Brien falling for one run, Niall O’Brien and wicketkeeper Gary Wilson put together a 75-run stand before Wilson, who made 30, became Kuggeleijn’s third victim.
Following Wilson’s dismissal, Santner became to wreak havoc on the lower order.
Even though Niall O’Brien did his best to try and keep Ireland in the hunt, he was eventually stumped by Ronchi off the bowling of Santner for a career-best 109, which came off 131 balls and included nine boundaries and five sixes.
O’Brien’s first ODI hundred went in vain
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Santner subsequently proceeded to take out McCarthy before debutant Seth Rance trapped Chase lbw for one run as Ireland were bowled out for 238.
Santner was the most successful bowler with five wickets, while Kuggeleijn took three, and Rance and Ish Sodhi claimed one wicket each.
Santner was named Man of the Match.