Colin De Grandhomme pleased to take scalp of IPL team-mate Virat Kohli

May 26 (CRICKETNMORE) - Taking the wicket of Virat Kohli with your third ball isn't a bad way to start a Cricket World Cup campaign. That's exactly what New Zealand all-rounder Colin De Grandhomme did - clean bowling the world's number one ODI batsman in their warm-up match against India.

The 32-year-old has shared a dressing room with Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore for the past two seasons and was delighted to take his scalp. 

"It's not a bad way to start!" said De Grandhomme.

"I didn't expect to get him out to be fair. My approach was just wanting to bowl hard at him because he's a great player.

"He made a mistake and I was happy to have his wicket. 

"There's an area you look to bowl to him, but if you hit that wicket you got something out of it anyway.

"It was more a case of keeping it simple and I'm glad I could do that."

De Grandhomme's ODI economy rate of 5.05 is the envy of any bowler, although he will hope a good World Cup brings his average down from 46. 

Although his power hitting in domestic cricket propelled him to higher honours, he holds the best Test figures for a New Zealand debutant with 6-41 against Pakistan. 

He remains a destructive force with bat in hand, only four players in world cricket boasting a higher career T20 strike-rate than his 165. 

De Grandhomme sat out New Zealand's preparatory tour of Australia in the build-up to the global gathering. 

 

With Kane Williamson's side last in ODI action in mid-February against Bangladesh, the Zimbabwe-born star was pleased to get some time in the middle. 

"Just to play together finally as a unit, against a good team, made it a great hit-out," he said.

"I think it was just good to get on your feet for 50 overs, for most of us that was probably the main thing, working on our execution and adapting to conditions. 

"I'd like some time in the middle with the bat, to be honest. That's the best practice you can get. 

"I definitely want to bat out in the middle before we start the real deal."

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ICC