Cricket: At last - the ODI drought breaks

By RICHARD BOOCK

New Zealand moved a step closer to arresting their plummet from international grace last night when they finally got the better of Zimbabwe in the second one-day international at Wellington.

Besieged by injury and indifferent form, the New Zealand side had been staring down the barrel of an unprecedented home-series loss against Zimbabwe, but averted a worst-case scenario with a runaway eight-wicket win at the Wellington Stadium.

The teams fly to Auckland today to prepare for Sunday's decider at Eden Park.

New Zealand, who seem to have been in free-fall mode since the ICC Knockout success in Kenya, gained a finger-hold on respectability after restricting the tourists to 236 in the first innings, and cantering to the win in 45.2 overs.

Mathew Sinclair and Nathan Astle shared a record first-wicket partnership of 153.

Astle, who came into the game under an illness cloud, played a key hand with bat and ball, sending back Zimbabwe's star batsman Andy Flower during a demanding spell of medium-pace, and then making sure New Zealand would live to fight another day with an unbeaten 89 off 115 balls during the chase.

The hard-hitting right-hander combined with Sinclair - who scored his maiden ODI half-century - to post New Zealand's first 100-run opening stand in 31 limited-over matches, after Zimbabwe failed to make the most of their batting chances and then proved fairly ineffectual in the field.

New Zealand appeared to have more composure in this match, delivering a much tighter effort in the field, where they gave up only five extras, and finding a more effective mix of firepower and restraint during the reply.

For all that, Astle still managed to strike two sixes, one of them a huge blow off debutante Gus Mackay, as he brought up his 25th ODI half-century off 65 balls, while Sinclair was always on the lookout for boundaries, crashing nine fours and a six in his 123-ball 85.

When it came to shot-making, however, Scott Styris, promoted to No 3, stole the show, blasting a whirlwind 48 off 33 balls, including four fours and two booming sixes.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Zimbabwe initially set themselves up for a much bigger total than they eventually achieved, as opener Alistair Campbell anchored the innings with 111 off 133 balls, all the time searching for a degree of assistance he never really received.

It was the 28-year-old left-hander's fifth ODI century and should have provided Zimbabwe with the platform from which to launch a serious assault on the home side's bowling, but apart from some early assistance from Stuart Carlisle, his effort was largely wasted by the tourists.

New Zealand opted to omit Chris Martin and Paul Wiseman from the 13-strong squad, allowing an ODI debut for Jacob Oram and a start for leg-spinner Brooke Walker, who was 12th man at Taupo.

The changes meant the new ball was shared by the 20-year-old left-armer James Franklin and Scott Styris, with the rest of the bowling duties resting on the shoulders of a raft of all-rounders, and Walker.

Franklin coped well with the extra responsibilities, capturing one for 25 off six in his first spell, and returning with another useful effort at the death, taking one for 14 off his last two overs.

Styris was effective in his early spells, but again came in for some stick at the end of the innings, while Harris continued to struggle for rhythm and Walker was hit out of the attack.

As it happened, the most effective bowlers were Astle and Craig McMillan, who between them took three for three off 19 balls at one stage, and helped to put the squeeze on the Zimbabwean innings just as it was looking threatening.