Black Caps whip Zimbabwe

for the quarter-finals of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, turned into a no-show at the Sadar Patel Stadium in Motera yesterday as they crashed to a huge morale-shattering 10-wicket defeat at the hands of a rampant New Zealand.
A game that was expected to be a close tie, featuring the fourth and fifth ranked teams in Group A with so much at stake for both teams, turned into a one-sided show dominated by the inspired Black Caps who illuminated the contest with their energy in the field, superb bowling and an effortless display with the bat.
It was Zimbabwe’s only second 10-wicket defeat in the World Cup after the Class of ’83, the first group of cricketers to represent the country at this tournament, suffered a similar defeat at the hands of the West Indies.
It was only Zimbabwe’s fourth 10-wicket defeat in a One Day International while the Black Caps celebrated their second 10-wicket success story at this tournament following a similar victory against Kenya and their sixth, overally, in ODIs.
The two teams had last met in 2005 when the Black Caps won by 27 runs, but so much had changed since then and, coupled with New Zealand’s indifferent form leading into this match, and the unpredictability of this World Cup, making sure there was good money placed on Zimbabwe to even win here.
But Zimbabwe’s fragile batting spine was cruelly exposed, after Elton Chigumbura won the toss and elected to bat, by a superb display of seam bowling by Tim Southee, who got very good support from Kyle Mills bowling tight overs, while skipper Daniel Vettori weighed into the party with two wickets. The Zimbabweans were bowled out for 162 in 46.2 overs.
“It was a very disappointing game from us from ball one up to the end,” said Chigumbura. “Losing quick wickets is a problem. It’s a game we will like to forget quickly and move onto the next one.”
Brendan Taylor top-scored for Zimbabwe with 44 runs and there was useful contribution from the reliable Prosper Utseya but, crucially, the top-order failed dismally that the last five wickets reaped double rewards for Alan Butcher’s men, in terms of runs, than the specialist batsmen.
In reply, the Black Caps made it all look very easy, giving Tinashe Panyangara a baptism of fire on his return to the international game, as openers Martin Guptill (86 not out) and Brendon McCullum, with an unbeaten 76, chased the target without any loss of wickets.
Guptill, later named man-of-the-match, hit seven fours and two sixes while Panyangara’s first over went for 14 runs, including a six and two fours, and while he showed control in his second over, he was given further rough treatment in his third and his 5.3 overs cost 42 runs.
Elton Chigumbura and his men had promised so much with a committed show in the field against world champions Australia,in the same stadium, only to deliver very little with the bat.
But their crushing win over Canada brought a spring in their step and boosted not only their confidence levels but also the odds of winning this tie against New Zealand.
The Black Caps had been outplayed in their last match, against Australia, and there were many analysts who believed Chigumbura and his men had a big chance to win this one but also make a big call for their credentials of moving beyond the group stages into the last eight.
But Zimbabwe, who won the toss and elected to bat, were on the back foot from the time misfiring opener Charles Coventry, looking every bit as hopeless as he is overwhelmed by everything he is facing at this World Cup, was run out for a duck as he chased a single that even Usain Bolt would have ignored.
Facing only his second ball Coventry, who has found the World Cup a big stage to show the globe how he managed to score 194 in Bulawayo in what now seems an age ago, was beaten by a direct throw as the Kiwis gave the first bold statement of their energy in the field yesterday.
The single never existed and that the Zimbabweans tried it was suicidal and Coventry paid a huge prize as his team faced what has now become a sorry familiar tale at this World Cup with the number three coming in so early he could be mistaken for an opening batsman.
The last time this happened, when Zimbabwe lost both Coventry and Brendan Taylor cheaply against Canada, Tatenda Taibu found a way, and an ally in Craig Ervine, to repair the damage with a marathon partnership that took the game away from the Canadians and gave the Zimbabweans the rock to build their success.
Yesterday Taibu could not repeat the magic.
And neither did Ervine.
The experienced Taibu negotiated his way to eight but there was a detectable discomfort about him yesterday, as paceman Southee impressed with his spell and got fine support from the disciplined Mills, and the danger signs were there when the former Zimbabwe captain was dropped at mid-off after offering a sitter.
He never got a chance to make full use of his life as he was trapped plumb lbw in the next ball to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 27-2.
Ervine had scored a beautiful half century the last time that he helped Taibu with that record-breaking partnership but yesterday he didn’t last long enough to worry the statisticians concerned about the history books as he made only 11 before being caught in a classic Black Caps trap, chasing a wide but only guiding the ball to the fielder at backward point.
Zimbabwe were clearly in ruins and, when things aren’t going your way, even luck deserts you. Captain Chigumbura arrived hoping for some runs but when he charged down the wicket and was beaten and trapped, umpire Marais Erasmus raised the finger.
Given the distance he had moved to try and smash the ball, Chigumbura was certainly right to dispute the call and ask for a review and, shockingly, he was still given out lbw.
What had been a bad story soon turned into a nightmare as Regis Chakabva, brought back into the team, gifted his wicket cheaply with a tame effort, clearly unsure of how to deal with one from Daniel Vettori that turned, and his edge was taken by Ross Taylor diving to his right at first slip.
He had been around to face only three balls for his duck.
Now and again you get resistance from the Zimbabwe tail and they tried their best but the damage had already been done and, on such a good wicket, all that the Black Caps needed was a good start.
The rest, as they say, turned into history.
Scoreboard
Zimbabwe
B. Taylor lbw Styris 44
C. Coventry run out (Bennett) 0
Tatenda Taibu lbw Southee 8
Craig Ervine c Ryder b Mills 11
E. Chigumbura lbw Vettori 1
R. Chakabva c Taylor b Vettori 0
G. Lambrun out (Guptill/Vettori) 18
P. Utseya b Southee 36
G. Cremer c Brendan b Mills 22
R. Price lbw Southee 11
T. Panyangara not out 4
Extras (lb 4, w 3) 7
Total (all out in 46.2 overs) 162
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Coventry, 1.2 overs), 2-27 (Taibu, 7.4), 3-42 (Ervine, 12.6), 4-46 (Chigumbura, 14.1), 5-46 (Chakabva, 14.3), 6-86 (Taylor, 23.1), 7-89 (Lamb, 26.6), 8-122 (Cremer, 36.6), 9-157 (Price, 44.1).
Bowling:
Kyle Mills 10029-2
Tim Southee 9.2329-3
Hamish Bennett 8037-0
Daniel Vettori 10-325-2
Scott Styris4013-1
Nathan McCullum 3015-0
Jesse Ryder 2010-0
New Zealand
M. Guptil not out 86
B. McCullum not out 76
Extras: (lb-1, w-1, nb-2) 4
Total: (for no loss in 33.3 overs) 166
Bowling:
Tinashe Panyangara 5.3 042 0
Ray Price 7023 0
Prosper Utseya 6023 0
Greg Lamb 5018 0
Graeme Cremer 7038 0
Elton Chigumbura 3021 0
Toss: Zimbabwe, who chose to bat
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Marias Erasmus (South Africa).
TV umpire: Rod Tucker (Australia)Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka).