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Rain And Injury Halt New Zealand's Charge

27 January 2012
Rain And Injury Halt New Zealand's Charge
Rain And Injury Halt New Zealand's Charge
BJ Watling added a half-century before rain intervened in Napier
©REUTERS / Action Images

New Zealand 392-5 (Taylor 122, McCullum 83) v Zimbabwe
Only Test, Napier, day two
Scorecard | Day One

Rain played spoilsport on the second day of the only Test between New Zealand and Zimbabwe in Napier as New Zealand closed on 392 for five.

In less than a session's worth of play, they didn't lose a wicket although captain Ross Taylor was taken to hospital for scans on a calf injury after being forced to retire hurt.

He had made 122 in 201 balls when he had to end his innings but New Zealand's dominance continued as BJ Watling became the fourth player in the innings to pass a half-century, making 52 not out, and Doug Bracewell was unbeaten on 11.

Taylor hit 13 fours and two sixes during his innings while Watling also played fluently, itting seven fours in 97 balls.

Brendon McCullum (83) and Martin Guptill (51) also added half-centuries on the opening day with an opening partnership of 124 after they had been invited to bat by Zimbabwe.

© Cricket World 2012

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Zimbabwe saved their best performance of their tour of New Zealand for the last game but were still beaten by five wickets in the second Twenty20 International in Hamilton. Half-centuries from Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor had enabled them to post 200 for two and set New Zealand a stiff target but the home side got home with two balls to spare thanks to a partnership of 103 between Rob Nicol and James Franklin and then a brilliant late surge from Kane Williamson.
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New Zealand handed Zimbabwe a batting masterclass on their way to taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series at Whangarei's New Cobham Oval. Rob Nicol and Jacob Oram were the chief architects of the tourists' destruction with innings of 146 and 59 from 28 balls respectively.
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Fixtures & Results

26th-30th January: Only Test, Napier
NZL 495-7 bt ZIM 51 & 143 by an inns. & 301 r: Report
3rd February: 1st ODI, Dunedin
NZL 248 beat ZIM 158 by 90 runs: Report
6th February: 2nd ODI, Whangerai
NZL 372-6 beat ZIM 231-8 by 141 runs
9th February: 3rd ODI, Napier
NZL 373-8 beat ZIM 171 by 202 runs: Report
11th February: 1st T20I, Auckland
NZL 160-3 beat ZIM 159-8 by 7 wickets: Report
14th February: 2nd T20I, Hamilton
NZL 202-5 beat ZIM 200-2 by 5 wickets: Report