Zimbabwe's Batsmen Fail Again

Zimbabwe's Batsmen Fail Again

Martin Guptill made the most of a dropped catch to top-score with 70 for New Zealand.

©REUTERS / Action Images

New Zealand 248 (S Masakadza 4-46) beat
Zimbabwe 158 (Nicol 4-19) by 90 runs
First One-Day International, Dunedin
Scorecard

Zimbabwe’s top-order crumbled once again in Dunedin as the tourists followed their dismal performance in the first Test at Napier with one almost as bad in the opening One-Day International.

Chasing a modest New Zealand total of 249 to win, Zimbabwe lost three wickets – two of them to Kyle Mills (three for 26) – for just 15 runs at the start of their run chase and never really recovered, in spite of a buccaneering 58 from their captain Brendan Taylor. The 25 year-old shared a 52-run partnership with Tatenda Taibu (20) for the fourth wicket, but eventually holed out off the bowling of Rob Nicol (four for 19) when trying to force the pace.

Ray Price then entertained briefly with a typically determined unbeaten 26 from 35 balls, but the tourists were all out for just 158 at the beginning of the 42nd over to lose by 90 runs and concede a 1-0 lead in the three match series.

Earlier, the home side – fielding three debutants in the forms of Andrew Ellis, Dean Brownlie and Tom Latham – had struggled to 248 before being dismissed in the 49th over of their innings.

Keegan Meth (one for 48) and Kyle Jarvis (two for 41) had each picked up a wicket in their opening overs to leave the Kiwis on four for two, but Kane Williamson (35 from 53 balls) and Martin Guptill (70 from 66 balls) steadied the ship with a stand of 88 for the third wicket.

It could have been worse for the Black Caps had Tatenda Taibu, tempted up to the stumps by a lofted drive from Guptill, held onto a caught behind chance off Meth early on in the 25 year-old’s innings, but it wasn’t to be. The New Zealand middle-order all got starts – before being dismissed by either Shingirai Masakadza (four for 46) or Elton Chigumbura (two for 46) who both bowled a tight off-stump line – with Ellis’ 33 from 30 balls the pick of them. Overall the visitors’ bowlers didn’t disgrace themselves and they only have the batsmen to blame for a second defeat of the tour.

© Cricket World 2012