Zimbabwe hammered yet again

Cricket365
September 14, 2012

New Zealand's dominance of Zimbabwe continued in the third and final one-day international, as the tourists slumped to another embarrassing defeat.

After Brendon McCullum's blitzkrieg hundred had taken New Zealand to 373 for eight, Brendan Taylor provided the only resistance as Zimbabwe collapsed to 171 all out in 44 overs.

The 202-run victory was the biggest of the series, following on from a 141-run win on Monday and a 90-run success last week, making it a depressing tour for Zimbabwe thus far.

Even as Taylor gathered steam, the visitors never looked like threatening New Zealand's huge total and their plight was made all the worse by the sight of Zimbabwe-born substitute fielder Colin de Grandhomme taking two catches and effecting the run-out of Malcolm Waller.

Hamilton Masakadza was dropped from the side but the absence of Vusi Sibanda continued to haunt Zimbabwe's batting line-up, as Tino Mawoyo and Stuart Matsikenyeri made another disastrous start to the chase.

Tatenda Taibu (26) kept Taylor company in a 64-run partnership that lifted Zimbabwe, but then fell when an attempted heave saw the ball land in De Grandhomme's paws at third man.

Taylor went to fifty at better than a run a ball with a six over midwicket, but then saw Waller run himself out attempting a third to leave Zimbabwe 101 for four.

The Zimbabwe captain launched another huge six – this time hitting an ambulance – but was caught by De Grandhomme soon after when he mishit to long-on, forcing him to trudge off for 65.

Everything after that was pointless, but Regis Chakabva and Ray Price did their best to lift the total to something more respectable – a tough ask when New Zealand had pummeled so many runs themselves.

It was the second time in as many matches that the Black Caps had passed 370, and there was very nearly an unwanted record for Zimbabwe as Brian Vitori posted figures of 1 for 105 in nine overs.

That equaled the second most runs conceded by a bowler in an ODI – Mick Lewis' none for 113 in the famous Wanderers clash of 2006 remains top of that particular list, although Vitori did bowl an over less than Lewis.

McCullum finished with 119 from just 88 balls before he was out to the last ball of an innings which New Zealand had dominated from the start after they won the toss and elected to bat.

Martin Guptill and Rob Nicol put on 153 for the first wicket in just 22 overs as Zimbabwe's seamers took plenty of abuse.

It was the spinners who pulled things back slightly as Prosper Utseya trapped Nicol lbw for 61 and Price lured Guptill (85) out of his crease to have him stumped.

Jacob Oram (25), Kane Williamson (38) and Nathan McCullum (21) all chipped in with a few runs in the middle order, but it was largely the Brendon McCullum show as he tore the Zimbabwe attack apart.