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Tino Mawoyo, the Zimbabwe opening batsman, has been working toward his return for the Tests against Pakistan after five months out of cricket recovering from groin surgery

Firdose Moonda01-Sep-2013When Zimbabwe last played a Test, opening batsman Tino Mawoyo could only watch from the sidelines. He was nursing a severe groin injury, awaiting a hospital date and commentating on Zimbabwe’s performances and what Mawoyo saw concerned him.Although Zimbabwe had solid contributions with the bat from Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza, they lacked a dependable opening pair. The highest first-wicket partnership was 36, scored by Vusi Sibanda and Regis Chakabva in the second innings of the second Test. Those same two players had put on 23 in the first innings. Sibanda and Timysen Maruma were even less successful at the top, managing only 10 and seven in the first Test, which would explain why Maruma was dropped.Mawoyo is careful not consider himself Zimbabwe’s saviour but judging from the performances against Bangladesh, a batsman in his mould is exactly what they were missing. And now, they could have him back. He has successfully healed from the groin surgery he underwent in Johannesburg on May 22 and despite five months out of action, has been hard at work to ensure he is ready to return.”I’ve had a lot of one-on-one sessions with Grant Flower,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “I know that I haven’t had many match situations recently but I also played in the inter-squad two-day match we had and I hope I will get my place back in the team, especially because it will be against a side I have done well against.”If Zimbabwe’s think-tank relies on history, they will recall Mawoyo without hesitation. In just his second Test, he scored an accomplished, undefeated 163 against Pakistan and demonstrated temperament which eluded his team-mates. He was also the only Zimbabwean batsmen who handled the spin threat of Saeed Ajmal with absolute assurance.”He is just a wizard; he can turn the ball on glass,” Mawoyo said of Ajmal. “And we know he’ll be coming at us again but he is also not the only bowler we need to concentrate on.”Although Ajmal remains the main threat, Mawoyo has also been preparing for Abdur Rehman, who he thinks could have as much of an impact on the series, although he hopes conditions can negate both of them. “I don’t think the wickets will take as much as turn as, for example, what we played on in the West Indies,” he said. “It will probably move around quite a bit in the morning in Harare and even Bulawayo, we’ve heard won’t be as dry as normal.”Zimbabwe were, in the words of assistant coach Stephen Mangongo, “embarrassed,” by slower bowlers in the West Indies, where their inability to combine footwork with finesse was sorely exposed.Mawoyo, who last played on that tour, believes Zimbabwe have progressed from then. “We had a few issues then and we wanted to go forward. I think we’ve learned a lot. Winning the ODI was a big confidence booster. It was very encouraging to see the guys bat for longer periods.”Patience is the hallmark of Mawoyo’s game so he was heartened to see others in his team willing to employ the same mindset. Coach Andy Waller was in agreement. “The guys know they can go out and score runs against Pakistan,” he said, after the final one-dayer. “There’s a bit of confidence and self-belief.”No-one knows that better than Mawoyo, although he also knows being able to do something once does not guarantee one can do it again, unless the requisite determination and commitment is there. “I think we can do well in the Tests and I think I can do well but it’s not like I am going to be starting on 100 again. When I walk out there, I will be on nought, we all will and we’ve just got to show what we can do.”

South Australia made an improper approach to recruit the young Victoria legspinner James Muirhead during the 2012-13 season, a Cricket Australia grievance tribunal has ruled

Daniel Brettig03-Apr-2013South Australia made an improper approach to recruit the young Victoria legspinner James Muirhead during the 2012-13 season, a Cricket Australia grievance tribunal has ruled. However the matter has been adjourned for further proceedings at a later date after SA contested the verdict.Muirhead, who played for the Adelaide Strikers in the inaugural BBL tournament in 2011-12, is contracted to the Bushrangers but it was alleged by the Bushrangers that he was approached by SA towards the end of this season’s competition, despite his current deal, and without their permission.”The Tribunal found a breach of Rule 4 of the Rules for Interstate Competitions by the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA),” a CA spokesman said. “A further hearing of the matter has been adjourned to the 24th April 2013.”The relevant rule states: “State Association must not (and must ensure that its constituent clubs do not) hold discussions with a CA Contracted Player or a State Contracted Player who is bound to another State Association concerning the possible transfer of that player without first informing the player’s home State Association.”SA have indicated their determination to dispute the outcome. “SACA maintains that it did not breach Rule 4 of the Rules for Interstate Competitions and is currently working with its legal team to consider its options,” the SACA chief executive Keith Bradshaw said. “Given the matter is still under consideration no further comments will be made at this time.”The official recruiting period for states began on Wednesday after CA announced their list of centrally-contracted players for the coming year.

Peter Trego and Arul Suppiah set Somerset on the path to their third win from three games in the Yorkshire Bank 40

19-May-2013
ScorecardPeter Trego ensured Somerset were always ahead of the asking rate•Getty ImagesPeter Trego and Arul Suppiah set Somerset on the path to their third win from three games in the Yorkshire Bank 40 as they overcame Middlesex by six wickets with 25 balls to spare at Taunton.Middlesex were restricted to 252 for 9 after they had lost the toss, with seamer Steve Kirby claiming four wickets and leg spinner Max Waller chipping in with three scalps. But despite going at more than a run a ball, it proved a below par total as Trego and Suppiah bludgeoned 81 and 60 respectively before James Hildreth and Jos Buttler saw the hosts over the line.After being put into bat Middlesex openers Chris Rogers and Dawid Malan looked untroubled as they took the total onto 73 before Craig Meschede entered the attack and had Rogers, on 29, well caught at deep midwicket by Alviro Petersen.Malan looked comfortable but was on 49 when he pulled Max Waller to James Hildreth at short midwicket. The leg spinner struck again soon after by firing in a quicker ball which Paul Stirling drove straight back to the bowler.Waller changed ends and claimed his third victim when Adam Rossington tried to clear the midwicket ropes and was caught by Lewis Gregory for 12. With the total on 139 for 4 Neil Dexter and Joe Denly came together and took the total onto 222 before Gregory had Dexter (37) leg before wicket trying to work the ball to fine leg. The fifth wicket partnership added 83 in just over 12 overs. In the penultimate over Kirby claimed three wickets in four balls to ensure no final flourish with the bat.Somerset openers Marcus Trescothick and Trego started briskly and it was latter who brought up the 50 with two to backward square-leg off James Harris in the seventh over. Gareth Berg broke the partnership at the start of the eighth over after being introduced into the attack when he had Trescothick, looking to steer the ball to fine leg, caught behindTrego was joined by Suppiah and it was the former who brought up the 100 with a single to mid-off in the 14th over. A single into midwicket off Tim Murtagh’s next over saw Trego to 50 off 46 balls.Suppiah showed his best form of the season with the bat and went to his half-century with a lofted straight drive off Malan. When Tom Smith returned to the attack, Trego hoisted his first ball over midwicket but two deliveries later was caught by Rogers at long-on for 81. The second wicket partnership between Trego and Suppiah yielded 110 runs in 14.3 overs.Suppiah had moved onto 60 when he top edged Harris into the air to Rossington with the total on 173. Hildreth (37 not out) made his intentions known straight from the off when he pulled Harris to the midwicket boundary and then proceeded to take 18 off Corey Collymore’s fourth over.At the opposite end Petersen had been subdued until he drove Smith high over long-on for six. The South African Test batsman had moved onto 17 when he was caught at long-off by Smith off Murtagh. Buttler (27 no) came to the crease with 30 still needed but the England limited-overs batsman showed typical panache and finished the job in style with a six over midwicket with the penultimate ball of the 36th over.

The second edition of the Bangladesh Premier League will be go ahead without any Pakistan player participating

Mohammad Isam16-Jan-2013None of the 26 Pakistan players auctioned in this season’s Bangladesh Premier League will take part in the Twenty20 competition after the PCB refused to issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs).The seven franchises will now have to hastily replace the cricketers in less than two days as the tournament begins on January 18. But the PCB’s stance is seen here as a backhanded victory for the BCB who now have a justification not to tour Pakistan, a tour they originally cancelled on December 31 due to security concerns, as this was used as the main cause of disagreement between the two boards.”A little while ago, we received a phone call from their COO Subhan Ahmed saying that if we don’t send the Bangladesh team on tour to Pakistan, they won’t give NOCs to their players to participate in the BPL,” the BCB’s media committee chairman Jalal Yunus said. “We will hold the tournament without their participation and it will start as per schedule, the opening ceremony on January 17 and the matches beginning on January 18.”The BCB president Nazmul Hassan said that the PCB knowingly waited till the last minute to inform them of the decision. “I couldn’t imagine that they could deliberately wait for so long, a day before the opening ceremony, to inform us that they won’t give the NOCs.”There are many Pakistani cricketers who were bought in the auction so to have all of them pull out at the last minute is a problem for us.”Hassan said that the action by the PCB has given the BCB free reign on deciding to tour Pakistan, which they will not do without a second trip by a security team.Absent names

Barisal Burners Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Kamran Akmal and Hammad Azam

Sylhet Royals Azeem Ghumman, Zulfiqur Babar, Babar Azam and Sohel Ahmed

Duronto Rajshahi Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Sami, Shahzaib Hasan and Khalid Latif

Rangpur Riders Sharjil Khan, Anwar Ali and Raja Ali Dar

Dhaka Gladiators Shahid Afridi

Khulna Royal Bengal Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Awaiz Zia, Umar Amin, Ahmed Shehzad, Haris Sohail and Bilawal Bhatti

Chittagong Kings Imran Nazir, Wahab Riaz and Saeed Anwar jnr

“We are no longer in a hurry. We were under tremendous pressure, so now we have some breathing space. Just before the start of a tournament, they have taken such a tough stance without any prior notice knowing that it would throw the organisation into jeopardy.”We will now decide on the sort of response regarding Bangladesh’s tour to Pakistan. It is not possible for us to commit to a tour without an inspection, and we will not be cowed down by any preconditions.”The franchises were informed on Tuesday evening of the situation, but the official word on the matter was only confirmed late on Wednesday afternoon after a final phone call from the PCB. Khulna will be the most severely hit as they have to replace Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Awais Zia, Umar Amin, Ahmed Shehzad, Haris Sohail and Bilawal Bhatti and they have already begun the process. The other six franchises have also been hit with Dhaka Gladiators being the least affected as they only lost Shahid Afridi.Yunus explained that each team will put forward names to replace their Pakistan players and will be helped by the BPL governing council to contact them and seek NOCs. In the event of a dispute if a player is sought by more than one franchise, it will be decided on a first-come-first-serve basis.”The teams are giving us names and we are giving approvals,” he said. “Clause 4.4 says that if a player doesn’t get an NOC he can be replaced. This replacement can be from within the list of unsold players from the auction or even from outside, for example we are talking to Kieron Pollard. We are trying to bring players from four or five other countries.”Except for one or two players, most of the replacements are at a par with the Pakistan players. It is troublesome for the franchises, but we are taking it as a challenge. We are ready to face it.”

Aaron Finch will replace Michael Clarke in the Pune Warriors squad for the sixth IPL season after Clarke was ruled out of the entire season with a back injury

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Mar-2013Aaron Finch will replace Michael Clarke in the Pune Warriors squad for the sixth IPL season after Clarke was ruled out of the entire season with a back injury. Finch, another top-order batsman, tweeted the development and is expected to leave for India on Saturday.Finch will be joining his third IPL franchise after playing for Rajasthan Royals in 2010 and Delhi Daredevils in 2011 and 2012. He was released by Delhi in November 2012 and went unsold in the auction on February 3 at a base price of $200,000.He represents Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League and averaged 66.40 in eight matches last season, scoring 332 runs with a highest score of 111 not out. However, he scored only 4, 7 and 1 for Australia in the three T20Is in January against Sri Lanka and West Indies.Overall, he has scored 1699 runs in 58 domestic T20 matches at 36.14 with a strike-rate of 130.49.The Warriors will be captained by Angelo Mathews this season.

The ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit met with actress Nupur Mehta in connection with a report in March that said that the illegal booking mafia had hired an unidentified Indian actress to “honey trap” cricketers

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2012The ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit met with actress Nupur Mehta in connection with a report in March that said that the illegal booking mafia had hired an unidentified Indian actress to “honey trap” cricketers into match-fixing and spot-fixing. Mehta, whose unidentified photograph was used in the story, met with the ACSU’s Alan Peacock at a Mumbai hotel and later told the that she had been “given a clean chit”.The ICC would not comment on the meeting because it had a “no comment policy on the ACSU, which works independently”.The report was written by Mazher Mahmood, the undercover reporter behind the sting operation into spot-fixing. The report did not mention Mehta’s name but carried a pixellated photograph of an actress. The report said: “The ICC is aware of the activities of a Bollywood actress, suspected of attempting to subvert players.” A few hours after the story became public, Mehta stepped forward and identified the photograph as hers. She said while she had met a few cricketers, she did not have any links with bookies. Her lawyer said she would be suing the for Rs 10 crore ($1.78 million) for using her photograph without her permission.The quoted Mehta as saying, “They [the ACSU] are satisfied with the answers I have provided. I have many friends who are cricketers and with whom I socialise… I also know a lot of international cricketers.”It is learnt that the meeting – the exact date is not known but it is believed to have taken place over the weekend – between Mehta and Peacock was part of the ACSU’s routine practices of information-gathering whenever any individual’s name crops up. It was not to be confused with either an interrogation or an exercise in ensuring that Mehta cleared her name. Mehta was talked to by the ACSU because her name came up in the story.What the ACSU is unlikely to have accounted for, however, was her publicising her conversation with the ACSU. On Monday night, a television channel also carried blurred spycam images of the conversation between Mehta and Peacock.

Adnan Akmal, Pakistan’s Test wicketkeeper, has said he is recovering well from the surgery to his left ring finger and will take his time before resuming training ahead of the South Africa tour early next year

Umar Farooq15-Aug-2012Adnan Akmal, Pakistan’s Test wicketkeeper, has said he is recovering well from the surgery to his left ring finger and will take his time before resuming training ahead of the South Africa tour early next year.Adnan suffered a hairline fracture during the opening day of the Pallekele Test against Sri Lanka last month when trying to fend off a delivery from Dilhara Fernando. He retired hurt on 10 but returned to take his score to 24. He batted bravely in the second innings, defying Sri Lanka with a stubborn partnership with Asad Shafiq to stretch Pakistan’s lead. It helped Pakistan save the Test.Adnan, who is not part of Pakistan’s limited-overs plans, underwent surgery last month and he said there’s sufficient time for him to recover before Pakistan’s next Test series, in February.”The surgery went well and the doctors are satisfied,” Adnan told ESPNcricinfo. “The single layer rods around it (the finger) will be removed next week. I will start my rehabilitation later this month and have plenty of time ahead of the tour of South Africa.”Adnan said there was no point in rushing his recovery. “This is the first time I have been idle for such a long time with injury but it’s a part of life for a cricketer,” he said. “Finger injuries are routine for a wicketkeeper, and sometimes you have a bad day. I am fine and will make a full recovery in a few weeks. Once I’m fit, I will ensure I won’t get complacent.”His elder brother Kamran Akmal, who last played for Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup, was recently recalled to Pakistan’s limited-overs squads for the tour of UAE and the World Twenty20 after being cleared by the PCB integrity committee. In Kamran’s absence, the selectors had tried out separate wicketkeepers for each format with Shakeel Ansar and Sarfraz Ahmed for T20s and ODIs respectively, but both were overlooked in favour of Kamran. Adnan said he wasn’t insecure about his place in the Test squad following Kamran’s selection in the other formats.”I am not worried at all,” Adnan said. “We play for our country and the best out of the lot get picked, so there is no point in being insecure. I can’t say much about him as we are selected based on our individual performances. I so far have played ample number of Test matches (16) and hope to serve the country for long.”Iqbal Qasim, the chairman of selectors, said that Kamran has always been the favourite for limited-overs matches due to his batting. “We have tried lots of wicketkeeper-batsmen after Kamran, but nothing was panning out,” Qasim said. “We need a solid wicketkeeper who can score quick runs and currently Kamran is the only option for us. He has maintained his fitness and more importantly, he has been cleared by the PCB.”

Salman Butt, the ex-Pakistan Test captain accused of being involved in spot-fixing, said on the tenth day of the trial in London that he “misjudged” his former agent Mazhar Majeed

Richard Sydenham at Southwark Crown Court18-Oct-2011Salman Butt, the ex-Pakistan Test captain accused of being involved in spot-fixing, said on the tenth day of the trial in London that he “misjudged” his former agent Mazhar Majeed, labelled corruption in cricket “terrible” and admitted to “suspicions” about Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif after the no-ball scandal was revealed.”I didn’t realise what kind of man he was,” Butt told the court on his current feelings towards Majeed, as his lawyer Ali Bajwa QC neared the close of his opening defence.”But now with the things that have come out I think I have misjudged somebody completely. I just took his word and trusted him. I knew him for a long time and never thought there would be another side to him that would be this bad.”Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following the Lord’s Test in August last year when they allegedly conspired with Majeed, teenage fast bowler Mohammad Amir and other people unknown to bowl pre-planned no-balls. Butt and Asif deny the charges.Butt admitted he was suspicious of his former team-mates honesty in the Lord’s Test when the published their expose. “The suspicion was there but I never wanted to believe it,” was as much as Butt would say.When Bajwa inquired as to Butt’s feelings on what he was accused of, he said: “I would never do that. Cricket is my passion. Look at what I am getting accused of (£2,500 of money found in his room). I’m earning every match nearly four times that. It’s a very bizarre thing.”I have always played my cricket with passion and I try to do well, to win. Players in the sub-continent know what the difference is when we do well and when we don’t do well. If we do well it’s really good and we have all the luxuries available. But if we don’t do well the reaction is not like people in the west know about. “When Bajwa prompted Butt for his thoughts about corruption in cricket generally, he replied: “It’s a terrible thing to do. It’s not very good for the game or for the country. And it speaks of the man’s character himself.”The case continues.

Mahela Jayawardene was left to rue missing the opportunity for Sri Lanka’s first Test series victory since 2009 and believes if they had survived Graeme Swann’s last over on the fourth evening they would have saved the match

Andrew McGlashan in Colombo07-Apr-2012Mahela Jayawardene was left to rue missing the opportunity for Sri Lanka’s first Test series victory since 2009 and believes if they had survived Graeme Swann’s last over on the fourth evening they would have saved the match.The complexion of the game was changed by Swann who claimed two wickets in the penultimate over to leave the home side with a huge task on the final day. A couple of early dropped catches by Alastair Cook suggested it would be a frustrating time for England, but when Jayawardene received one that spat from Swann this time the catch was taken and Sri Lanka’s main hope had gone.”On a fourth-day wicket that will happen, especially against the second new ball and we knew Graeme would get more bite with it,” Jayawardene said. “It was a period we had to survive and if we’d got through the situation I think we would have batted through two more sessions and the game would have been different but that’s the quality Swann has.”Graeme is one of the best offspinners I’ve faced and he’s got variety. We knew going into the series that he would be the challenge. Him and Jimmy Anderson are the two main bowlers that will bowl well in any conditions, which proved the case. We handled them well on some occasions but when you are up against two quality bowlers they will strike as well.”Although those late losses on the fourth evening knocked the stuffing out of Sri Lanka, Jayawardene pinpointed the first two days as the key period of the game. Having won what was expected to be an important toss Sri Lanka could only post 275 and England’s top three set a platform from where Kevin Pietersen was able to take the game away from them with a destructive 151 on the third day.”Before the game started I said the first innings is a very important part, especially in the subcontinent where you need to take advantage up front to put the opposition under pressure,” Jayawardene said. “We didn’t do that, but credit to the England bowlers who did really well on the first day. I thought 350-375 would have been a good score and the difference was that towards the end. We were playing against a strong team. I thought KP came and changed the game with the way he batted. He took some risks and it paid off.”Jayawardene also stood out with the bat and was named Man of the Series for his 354 runs at 88.50, includeding two centuries. “Over the previous two overseas tours I hadn’t been consistent so I had to improve,” Jayawardene said of his own performance. “In Australia my one-day form was pretty good and I was able to continue with that. I felt in Test cricket I went too negative, going into my shell but in Galle I came out of that very quickly. Even though at times it looked slow I was in control. I’m doing a lot of things right but the next tour will be a different challenge.”With a little more support the outcome could have been different for Sri Lanka. Kumar Sangakkara’s struggles left a big hole in their run-scoring capability although Angelo Mathews suggested during the second Test that he can forge a career as a specialist batsman. Overall, however, Jayawardene was content with his team’s performance and the fact they shared a series against the No. 1 Test side. The game in Sri Lanka faces a number of difficulties – not least financial – but following on from their impressive showing in the one-day tournament in Australia, where they almost claimed the title, there were signs that their longer game can develop.”Good players will step up and that’s what England have got. But I’m quite happy, we kept fighting and gave ourselves a chance,” he said. “Going forward we can develop the youngsters so as long as the commitment levels are there I’m quite happy. It was a good indication of where we are right now, especially in our conditions. We played against very good opposition and that gave us the chance to challenge ourselves.”Edited by Alan Gardner

New Zealand cruised to a 141-run victory after amassing 372 for 6 at Whangarei’s Cobham Oval, and with it took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ODI series

The Report by Andrew Fernando05-Feb-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJacob Oram ignited New Zealand’s charge with the bat, and snuffed out Zimbabwe’s chase with the ball•Getty ImagesNew Zealand cruised to a 141-run victory after amassing 372 for 6 at Whangarei’s Cobham Oval, and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ODI series. Their mammoth innings was grounded by Rob Nicol’s 146, and launched by Jacob Oram’s 28-ball 59, with Martin Guptill’s 77 providing the early spark. Zimbabwe’s thin hopes evaporated when three wickets fell in the first seven overs of their chase, and their innings meandered to 231 for 8 in 50 overs. Such was the magnitude of the drubbing, that in response to a New Zealand effort that featured 29 fours and 16 sixes, Zimbabwe managed only two fours until the 28th over of the chase.Following a 131-run opening stand from Nicol and Guptill, Oram’s belligerence propelled New Zealand’s pace from brisk to frenetic, and flattened the opposition. Promoted five spots to No. 3 in a ploy to maintain the tempo, Oram responded with an innings whose violence was reminiscent of his early years. Having taken the batting Powerplay soon after his arrival, Oram unleashed an array of punishing strokes – some of which had been notably missing in recent times. The four towering strikes over long-on were brutal, as were the drives that singed the turf behind the bowler, but it was his inside-out loft over extra cover that stood out.Nicol’s steady progression to a second ODI hundred drew little attention as Guptill, then Oram, and for a short time Brendon McCullum, exploded at the other end. Nicol stayed at close to a run-a-ball throughout his innings, collecting 10 fours and six sixes himself as he set up a brutal finish to the innings.Earlier, Zimbabwe were guilty of a dramatic slip in fielding standards, missing no fewer than five clear-cut chances after they had restricted New Zealand to 10 runs in the first five overs. Tatenda Taibu and Elton Chigumbura fluffed an early run out, where they could have dismissed either batsman with ease, before Oram was gifted a reprieve ten overs later. Two absolute sitters went down – off Brendon McCullum and Tom Latham – and Nicol also benefitted from a dropped chance.Shingi Masakadza had combined well with Kyle Jarvis to prevent New Zealand from aggressing early. Guptill eventually unhinged the floodgates with two wristy legside flicks off Kyle Jarvis. Having meandered to 5 from 17 deliveries, Guptill looted 46 off his next 27 balls, to complete a fourth successive ODI half-century.Smart stats

The 131-run opening stand between Martin Guptill and Rob Nicol is the seventh century partnership for New Zealand against Zimbabwe. Guptill has been involved in three of the seven century stands.

Nicol’s 146 is the second-highest score by a New Zealand batsman against Zimbabwe after Lou Vincent’s 172 in Bulawayo in 2005. There have only been five occasions when a New Zealand batsman has hit more sixes in an innings than Nicol, who hit six sixes.

There were 16 sixes hit in the New Zealand innings. This is joint second-highest on the list of team innings with the most sixes.

Jacob Oram’s 59 is his 13th half-century in ODIs. The strike rate of 210.71 is his highest for a fifty-plus score and the sixth-highest for a New Zealand batsman for a fifty-plus score in ODIs.

The 141-run win margin is New Zealand’s second-highest against Zimbabwe after the 192-run win in Bulawayo in 2005.

New Zealand scored 117 runs in the last ten overs of their innings. Since 2002, they have scored more runs in their last ten overs on only five occasions with the highest (142) coming against USA at The Oval in 2004.

Two sixes – one straight, and another hooked over square leg – punctuated a volley of crisp boundaries as New Zealand flung off the chains suddenly and emphatically. Nicol took longer to warm to the attack than Guptill, but his gargantuan 118-metre hit into the neighbouring rugby stadium signalled his coming in the sixteenth over.Ray Price bore the brunt of Oram’s onslaught after Guptill’s fall, conceding 40 off three overs in the middle of his spell. Shingi Masakadza was also dispatched for three successive boundaries, and Prosper Utseya launched into orbit despite Oram’s top hand coming off the bat mid-stroke. Hamilton Masakadza created a chance, getting Oram to top edge one towards mid-on, but the opportunity was woefully and predictably bungled.Oram was eventually caught at long-on when he mishit another one, and though Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson kept the runs flowing, they both holed out while Nicol progressed untroubled. Another giant six into the rugby stand took him into the nineties, before two square boundaries brought him his second one-day hundred. In most other innings, Nicol’s knock might have provided both the substance and the impetus for the team effort, but in comparison to his team-mates’ savagery, his 115-ball ton was the anchor.Nicol was joined by Latham as the final overs approached, and the pair continued New Zealand’s incredible plunder. Eighty-six runs were scored in the last five overs, 25 of those from Kyle Jarvis’ 48th. Six fours and eight sixes came in that phase as Andrew Ellis and Dean Brownlie partook in the flogging.The bowlers aimed for the blockhole, but often missed their lengths by so much that the batsmen could have dispatched the ball in almost any direction. A last-ball six from Ellis was the fitting end to Zimbabwe’s torture.Early in the chase, Hamilton Masakadza found Dean Brownlie at point with the first aggressive stroke he ventured, before Ellis took a terrific diving catch at third man to dismiss Stuart Matsikenyeri. When Brendan Taylor skied one to McCullum as he attempted to revive a flat-lining run rate, Zimbabwe seemed resigned to the loss. They hadn’t even completed the mandatory Powerplay.After Taylor’s dismissal, Zimbabwe opted to spend time in the middle and find some form before the last ODI. Tatenda Taibu and Elton Chigumbura hit risk-free half-centuries to ensure Zimbabwe did not suffer their heaviest one-day defeat, nine days after stumbling to their worst Test loss.Both men departed soon after passing 50, before tenacious lower order batting on a lifeless pitch helped the visitors bat out their quota – some consolation at the end of another difficult day.