Black Caps Ease To Victory

New Zealand

Cricket365
March 24, 2007

New Zealand ran up 363-5 en route to a 114-run victory over Canada in St Lucia to top Group C with a perfect record.

Brendon McCullum hit the fastest half-century in World Cup history as New Zealand defeated Canada by 114 runs at Beausejour.
McCullum broke fellow wicketkeeper Mark Boucher's 21-ball effort off the Holland attack last week by one delivery, and hit five sixes in a blistering late assault.
The 25-year-old put on 85 undefeated runs in just seven overs with Jacob Oram, who cleared the rope three times himself as the Black Caps finished on 363 for five.
On a day of fast scoring, Canada captain John Davison bowed out of the competition with a bang, hitting nine fours and a six in getting to 50 as his side closed on 249 for nine.
Kiwi opener Lou Vincent rediscovered some form to hit a hundred, having registered two ducks in his previous Group C matches.
Former Worcestershire batsman Vincent, 28, sealed his place in the Black Caps' 15-man squad here with four half-centuries in five knocks upon his recall in late January and showed a semblance of that touch against one of the World Cup minnows.
He got off the mark with a six over extra-cover off Anderson Cummins and formed the backbone of the innings in a 142-run stand with Fleming, who contributed 66.
Just as in their commanding 148-run win over Kenya two days ago, New Zealand batted selflessly and batsmen were dismissed attempting big shots.
Scott Styris, whose 28 came from only 17 deliveries, skied a catch off Abdool Samad's medium pace which wicketkeeper Ashish Bagai judged perfectly, while Craig McMillan picked out deep midwicket off spinner Davison.
Vincent followed that pair to the dressing room, two balls after bringing up three figures when he prodded to the leg-side and offered a simple caught and bowled to Davison.
A spell of four wickets in seven overs left New Zealand on 278 for five but McCullum and Oram kept the score rattling along.
Davison set a similar pace in Canada's response, launching a delivery from Daryl Tuffey into the stand at midwicket in an opening over which cost 14 runs.
The frenetic start should have been nipped in the bud but Michael Mason's dismantling of the stumps, with Davison on 14, came from a no-ball.
Mason was forced to suffer as 23 came from his next over, the fourth of the innings.
But he finally got his man in a dismissal all of his own work when Davison spiralled a short-of-a-length delivery to be caught and bowled.
Davison's opening partner Geoff Barnett, a Kiwi who qualifies for Canada by virtue of his mother's birth, played a more sedate innings of 40 and became the first of spinner Daniel Vettori's trio of wickets when he slashed outside off-stump.
A stutter from a position of 188 for two in the 35th over included Ian Billcliff, a former New Zealand Under-19 international, perishing for an even 50 and Abdool Samad run out by the ever-alert Vincent.
However, the part-timers claimed the prestige of recording their highest World Cup score for the second time in as many games, following their efforts in the 51-run loss to England.