http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 – 2nd One Day International (ODI) – Match Recap
Zimbabwe 259 New Zealand 261 - New Zealand won by 4 wickets (with 10 balls remaining)
New Zealand sealed the three-match one-day series against Zimbabwe after winning the second match of the series by four wickets on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at Harare Sports Club.
After losing the toss, the hosts Zimbabwe were put into bat by New Zealand in a bid to make early inroads to restrict the home side on a meagre total.
However, the hosts did considerably well against all odds when their openers smashed 41 runs in 11.2 overs before losing the wicket of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JDP-Oram-c1681 at mid-off
on the bowling of pacer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Graeme-Aldridge-c1502.
With 47 runs on the board, the hosts lost their second wicket in the 15th over when opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-John-McKay-c44446.
With skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/F-Mutizwa-c1426 lost their wickets after scoring two and six runs, failing to give a befitting performance in the crucial
match.
For Zimbabwe it was imperative to win the game in a bid to level the series after having beaten by the tourists in the first match by nine wickets.
Keeping this in mind, the Zimbabwean skipper Taylor who is in impeccable form in the series, exhibited tremendous batting against a formidable New Zealand bowling attack.
The skipper was provided exceptional support from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Malcolm-Waller-c74039 who crafted a handy partnership with the captain to forge a potent resistance against the opposition.
The duo posted 86 runs in the fifth-wicket partnership, leaving the New Zealand bowlers flabbergasted, who were doing quite well before the arrival of the two batsmen on the wicket.
It was in the 37th over when McKay finally broke the lethal partnership by dismantling Waller’s stumps who found his way back to the pavilion after smashing an exuberant innings of 42 runs. At the time of his departure, Zimbabwe had managed to
post 169 runs for the loss of five wickets.
Later http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915 played a phenomenal unbeaten knock of 107 runs to help his side post a respectable tally of 259 runs for New Zealand to chase.
Coming out to bat, New Zealand had their work cut out for them as they needed to bat with resolve to secure the series before slipping in the bowling department after getting off to a flying start, they needed to avoid a similar fate while batting to overcome
the hosts.
While, the tourists began their innings by scoring runs in a hurry, they lost their first wicket in the 8th over when the score was just 49 runs.
New Zealand’s opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RJ-Nicol-c2331 was Zimbabwe’s first wicket who found his way back to the pavilion after scoring nine runs.
However, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BB-McCullum-c1129 smashed 105 and 87 runs to contribute in their team’s victory as New Zealand reached the required target in 48.2 overs.
MJ Guptill was named as the Player of the Match for his resilient batting.
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