Black Caps coast to victory over Zimbabwe

Set a target of 249 for victory at a windy University Oval on Friday, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 158 in the 42nd over.

The result put the Black Caps 1-0 up in the three-match series, with game two in Whangarei on Monday.

Zimbabwe were looking for a better batting effort than in their innings and 301-run Test defeat to the Black Caps in Napier, where they managed scores of just 51 and 143.

But they were on the back foot from the start of their chase, reduced to 3-15 in the seventh over.

Only skipper Brendan Taylor offered any real resistance with a half-century that featured some controlled aggression.

As well as eight fours, Taylor struck a towering six off the bowling of Rob Nicol.

However, when he tried to clear the rope for the second ball in a row, he was caught in the deep for 58 to leave his side at 5-97.

Nicol then played a major role in mopping up the tail with his offbreaks to finish with 4-19.

Sent in to bat, New Zealand were dismissed for 248 with nine balls remaining in their 50 overs.

In-form opener Martin Guptill was the mainstay of their innings, with 70 in 66 balls.

He and Kane Williamson steadied the ship after the Black Caps found themselves at 4-2, the pair putting on 88 for the third wicket before Williamson went for 35.

The rest of New Zealand’s recognised batsmen made good starts but couldn’t push on, although debutants Tom Latham and Andrew Ellis both produced encouraging performances.

The 19-year-old Latham drove, cut and swept with confidence for three boundaries, before he was caught behind at 24.

Allrounder Ellis made 33 and shared in a 57-run seventh-wicket stand with Nathan McCullum.

Ellis went on to take his first international wicket, and he also ran out opener Hamilton Masakadza with a direct hit and took the catch that dismissed Taylor.

The best of a steady Zimbabwe attack was Shingirai Masakadza, who returned figures of 4-46.

Publisher: AAPNewswire

03 Feb 7:27 PM