Sports / Cricket
Zimbabwe lose by four wickets
23 Oct 2011 at 07:44hrs | Views
Martin Guptill smashed 105 to steer New Zealand to a four wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second one-day international on Saturday.
Guptill faced 121 balls and cracked nine boundaries as the Kiwis overhauled Zimbabwe's total of 259-8 to clinch the three match ODI series.
New Zealand finished on 261-6 off 48.2 overs.
"I'm feeling good with the bat at the moment," Guptill said. "Batting with Brendon (McCullum) and Rob (Nicol) up the order has helped me, they let me play my game."
Guptill put on a 157-run second wicket partnership with McCullum (87), aided by dropped catches from Zimbabwe.
Earlier, Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor scored an undefeated 107 to become the first Zimbabwean to score back-to-back hundreds in international cricket.
Taylor shared an 86-run fifth wicket partnership with Malcolm Waller (42) to give the host a respectable total on a good batting wicket.
Guptill was out when he was deceived by Waller's spin to be clean-bowled in the 43th over.
McCullum departed after Vusi Sibanda held onto a brilliant catch at point off seamer Keegan Meth, who ended with figures of 2-52.
The other New Zealand wickets to fall were opener Nicol (9), captain Ross Taylor (11), BJ Watling (19) and James Frankling (1).
New Zealand won the series ahead of the third and final one-dayer at Bulawayo on Tuesday.
"I think it was pretty comfortable at the end," Ross Taylor said. "We took our catches which Zimbabwe didn't."
Guptill faced 121 balls and cracked nine boundaries as the Kiwis overhauled Zimbabwe's total of 259-8 to clinch the three match ODI series.
New Zealand finished on 261-6 off 48.2 overs.
"I'm feeling good with the bat at the moment," Guptill said. "Batting with Brendon (McCullum) and Rob (Nicol) up the order has helped me, they let me play my game."
Guptill put on a 157-run second wicket partnership with McCullum (87), aided by dropped catches from Zimbabwe.
Earlier, Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor scored an undefeated 107 to become the first Zimbabwean to score back-to-back hundreds in international cricket.
Guptill was out when he was deceived by Waller's spin to be clean-bowled in the 43th over.
McCullum departed after Vusi Sibanda held onto a brilliant catch at point off seamer Keegan Meth, who ended with figures of 2-52.
The other New Zealand wickets to fall were opener Nicol (9), captain Ross Taylor (11), BJ Watling (19) and James Frankling (1).
New Zealand won the series ahead of the third and final one-dayer at Bulawayo on Tuesday.
"I think it was pretty comfortable at the end," Ross Taylor said. "We took our catches which Zimbabwe didn't."
Source - AP
