Zimbabwe v New Zealand –2nd T20I- Match Recap
New Zealand 187/3 (18/18 ov); Zimbabwe 154 (16.5/18 ov, target 189) - Kiwis won by 34 runs (D/L method)
New Zealand romped over the hosts, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045, by 34 runs (Duckworth/Lewis method) in a rain affected Twenty20 match played at Harare Sports Club on Monday, October 17, 2011.
As a result of the win, the tourist clinched the series by two games to nil.
Earlier in the day, heavy showers forced a delayed start and also reduced the match to 18 overs per side.
After winning the toss, Zimbabwean skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BRM-Taylor-c1200 invited the opposition to bat first, hoping that the overcast conditions would provide some swing to bowlers.
However, it was not to be. Kiwi openers, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BB-McCullum-c1129 were determined to deny the African side any chance of making a comeback into the series.
McCullum let his natural instincts dominate and charged towards the African bowlers from the start. The batsman showed that he means business when he put a delivery from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CB-Mpofu-c1219 out of the park for a six in the third over.
However, rain disrupted the match once again, when the game resumed Guptill joined in on the party and along with McCullum relinquished Zimbabwe’s bowling brigade.
The wicket-keeper batsman, McCullum, scored his second fifty of the tournament when he guided a delivery from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/E-Chigumbura-c1411 towards on-side for a single.
Kiwis were dictating the terms at the half-way mark as they had scored 105 runs with all wickets intact.
The Zimbabweans managed to break the on-field romance between McCullum and Guptill on the first delivery of the 12th over. The wicket-keeper batsman was the one who had to take the long walk back to the dressing room after
scoring 64 runs, becoming first victim of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kyle-Malcolm-Jarvis-c71974.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Peter-Hewitt-c66001. Guptill, on the other hand, continued with his cantankerous approach. The batsman reached his half-century in style by smashing the last delivery of 13th over
for four.
Jarvis was once again in the action, this time the medium-pacer took the prized wicket of Guptill (67). http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LRPL-Taylor-c1849, attempted an impossible run on the final delivery of their innings and was run-out for 8.
Ryder remained unbeaten on 30 as the Black Caps finished their innings on 187 for the loss of three wickets.
As per the D/L method, Zimbabwe was required to score 189 runs from 18 overs. The hosts stumbled early in their innings and lost the services of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/H-Masakadza-c1517 and Brendan Taylor with just 27 on board.
The third and fifth wicket stands showed some resistance by gathering 57 and 41 runs respectively. However, the New Zealand bowlers ripped through last five wickets in quick succession conceding just 29 runs in the process.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/NL-McCullum-c2120 shared six wickets between them. Chamu Chibhabha’s innings of 65 was the standout performance from the Zimbabwean side. Chigumbura laid a helping hand by scoring 39. However, their efforts went in
vain as New Zealand won the game quite comfortably.
Guptill’s innings of 67 runs earned him the Player of the Match award.
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