Cricket: NZ clinch clean sweep

Brendon McCullam on his way to 100 runs during the NZ vs Zimbabwe 3rd ODI Cricket match at McLean Park in Napier. Photo / Glenn Taylor

You would have been forgiven for thinking you were watching a re-run.

The setting was different but the plot and the characters were eerily familiar as the Black Caps romped to another big win over Zimbabwe today, clinching a clean sweep of the ODI series.

Three days after batting first, posting 372-6 and winning by 141 runs in Whangarei, New Zealand batted first, posted 373-8 and won by 202 runs in Napier - bringing a predictable end to a profitable three matches.

Just like in Whangarei, a century stand from the Black Caps' openers laid the foundations for a titanic total and, just like in Whangarei, one batsman ensured they got exactly that. This time it was Brendon McCullum's fourth ODI hundred which saw his side compile their largest ever score on home soil, beating a record set as recently as Monday.

The deja vu didn't end there. Unfortunately for the small crowd at McLean Park, Zimbabwe again made no effort to reach their unreachable target, opting instead for time in the middle. The tourists batted out 50 forgettable overs at Cobham Oval and settled for a similar storyline in the sequel, grinding through 44 overs before, mercifully, being dismissed for 171.

McCullum pointed to his side's progression every match as the most pleasing part of the series.

"We have been able to continue to raise the tempo of our game and to execute better each game that we've played," he said. "We've still been able to, when we cross the line, be pretty emphatic in our performance."

The improvement with the bat today - by one run - was thanks in large to the captain's own blazing innings.

New Zealand had 150 on the board when McCullum arrived at the crease, and when he was out on the last ball of the innings for 119 from 88 balls, the intrigue was all but over at the intermission.

McCullum described his knock - the No 4 was sedate at first before unleashing in the end - as a result of circumstances.

"Losing two wickets in a row meant I had to try and get settled. Then, when we had the base, we were able to launch an attack towards the end, and that's when things hastened a little."

Martin Guptill and Rob Nicol again had New Zealand off to a rollicking start, and when the openers brought up 150 in the 22nd over the eyes of most fans were fixed on the record books. But just when the cricket almanacs were being cracked open Zimbabwe struck a double blow, with Nicol trapped in front for 63 and Guptill stumped for 85 the very next ball.

McCullum enjoyed handy partnerships with Jacob Oram (25), Kane Williamson (38) and brother Nathan (21 from 7), bringing up New Zealand's 300 in the 45th over. And after making the most of yet another grassed catch when on 48, he reached three figures to put his side well and truly in charge.

With the ball, a wicket on debut from left-arm seamer Michael Bates was joined by Taurn Nethula's first two for New Zealand as the highlights, while spinners Williamson and Nathan McCullum also picked up a pair each.

Aside from Brendon Taylor's well-made 65, there was little for Zimbabwe to shout about with the bat as they showed few signs of progress made during the tour. Their innings petered out tamely, though they may claim time at the crease will be of benefit when the two-match Twenty20 series starts in Auckland on Friday.

McCullum admitted that series was a chance for the visitors to take something from the tour other than wounded pride.

"We've played very, very good cricket so far. We've got two Twenty20s where I think the skill level, the gaps between two teams, is always narrowed. It means we're going to have to be even more efficient."