Cricket: New Zealand smash Zimbabwe to claim series

Rob Nicol pulls the ball for six runs during game two of the One Day International series between New Zealand and Zimbabwe in Whangarei. Nicol would go on to score 146 runs. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand waltzed to a rare ODI series win in Whangarei today, crushing Zimbabwe by 141 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the three match series.

The Black Caps batted first and racked up a mammoth total of 372-6 before limiting a stubborn batting effort from the tourists to 231. Led by Rob Nicol's 146, New Zealand posted their third largest total in one-day history, easily more than enough to claim victory.

The win renders irrelevant Thursday's third game in Napier, though New Zealand would want to get in all the practise they can before the more illustrious South Africa come calling later this month.

While the match was never much of a contest, at least the crowd at Cobham Oval were treated to a batting master class from opening batsman Nicol, who eventually fell in the 49th over for 146 from 136 balls - the fifth-highest score by a New Zealander in one-dayers.

Nicol shared in a 131-run opening stand with Martin Guptill (77), while a quickfire 50 from Jacob Oram, batting at three, upped the hosts' run rate and enabled a score well in excess of 300.

Nicol and Guptill saw New Zealand make a solid start to their innings, with Guptill continuing his aggressive form of late. Zimbabwe first struck in the 24th over, and it was the Auckland opener who again fell with a century in his sights, caught on the boundary with his team on 131-1.

That wicket saw the promotion of Jacob Oram to act as a pinch hitter, and the big allrounder didn't disappoint. Oram needed just 23 balls to bring up his half-century - the seventh-fastest in New Zealand's ODI history - smashing five fours and three sixes to send the run rate surging.

Zimbabwe weren't helping themselves in the field, botching a couple of run out opportunities and grassing a few catches, including one from Nicol in his nineties. The Cantabrian went on to bring up his second ODI century, an anchoring innings coming off 115 balls.

Nicol accelerated his scoring after reaching three figures, and by the time he was dismissed with seven balls remaining the damage was well and truly done. Tom Latham chipped in with 48 from 28 as New Zealand took 86 runs from the final five overs to finish on 372-6.

Zimbabwe were never likely to seriously threaten their target, and with both openers back in the pavilion by the fifth over that threat seemed even more minuscule. By the time Kyle Mills and Brendon McCullum combined to dismiss key man Brendon Taylor in the seventh over, all hope appeared lost.

From there, the only real point of interest for the Black Caps was how quickly they'd be tucking into their dinner. But Tatenda Taibu (50) and Elton Chigumbura (63) frustrated the New Zealand bowling attack with an 80-run partnership for their sixth wicket.

Both men's resistance proved predictably futile, however, with their side eventually batting out their overs but falling 141 runs short. Jacob Oram was the pick of the home bowlers with 3-29, while debutant Tarun Nethula went wicketless with his leg-spinners.

Scoreboard from the second one-day international between New Zealand and Zimbabwe from Cobham Oval in Whangarei today:

New Zealand

R Nicol c Masakadza b Utseya 146
M Guptill c Masakadza b Price 77
J Oram c Chakabva b Masakadza 59
B McCullum c Masakadza b Utseya 20
K Williamson c Masakadza b Utseya 4
T Latham b Masakadza 48
D Brownlie not out 2
A Ellis not out 7

Extras (1b, 1lb, 7wd) 9
Total (for 6 wickets, 50 overs) 372
Fall: 1-131 (Guptill), 2-208 (Oram), 3-246 (McCullum), 4-261 (Williamson), 5-353 (Nicol), 6-364 (Latham)
Bowling: S Masakadza 8-1-68-1 (2w), K Jarvis 9-1-73-0, P Utseya 10-0-71-3, E Chigumbura 8-0-55-0 (4w), R Price 10-0-67-1 (1w), H Masakadza 5-0-36-1

Zimbabwe

H Masakadza c Brownlie b Southee 5
S Matsikenyeri c Ellis b Mills 3
R Chakabva lbw b Oram 11
B Taylor c McCullum b Mills 4
T Taibu c Nethula b Nicol 50
M Waller c McCullum b Oram 18
E Chigumbura b Oram 63
P Utseya not out 27
S Masakadza c Ellis b Williamson 38
R Price not out 0

Extras (4lb, 8w) 12
Total (for 8 wickets, 50 overs) 231
Fall: 1-5 (Masakadza), 2-12 (Matsikenyeri), 3-17 (Taylor), 4-35 (Chakabva), 5-62 (Waller), 6-142 (Taibu), 167-7 (Chigumbura)
Bowing: K Mills 8-1-27-2, T Southee 10-0-50-1 (4w), J Oram 10-1-29-3 (2w), T Nethula 10-0-55-0, R Nicol 4-0-25-1, A Ellis 5-0-25-0 (2w), K Williamson 3-0-8-1

Result: New Zealand won by 141 runs
Series: New Zealand win the three match series 2-0