adminseries with an emphatic nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Zimbabwe, who won the toss and elected to bat, had a disastrous start but skipper Taylor and Forster Mutizwa combined for a crucial fifth wicket partnership as the home side recovered to finished on a respectable 231/6 in their allotted 50 overs.
But this was never going to be enough on a good batting pitch and New Zealand powered to victory after notching up 232, for the loss of one wicket, inside 43.3 overs.
The opening partnership of Rob Nicol, with an unbeaten 108 off 131 balls, and Martin Guptill (74 off 97 deliveries with five fours and two sixes) laid the foundation for the easy win for the Black Caps.
Nicol struck his maiden ODI hundred.
Only Guptil was lost in the run chase when he was caught by Kyle Jarvis off the bowling of Hamilton Masakadza delivery.
Brendon McCullum came in and helped complete the formalities with an unbeaten 39 off 35 balls to help the Black Caps get a very comfortable win.
Zimbabwe’s top order cracked under pressure from New Zealand seamers, led by debutant Doug Bracewell who bowled brilliantly in his first spell to claim the scalps of Visimuzi Sibanda (5), Hamilton Masakadza (0) and Chamu Chibhabha (6).
Bracewell, who was punished in his last spell, finished with figures of 3-55 and James Franklin retained 2-37.
After losing the early wickets, Zimbabwe were always in trouble but Taylor played a true captain’s innings with an unbeaten 128 off 120 balls.
Mutizwa chipped in with a valued 69 off 98 balls.
Sibanda, who was playing his first game of the series having been away as he mourned the death of his mother, was caught after a beauty from Bracewell kissed his bat.
Masakadza went for a duck, after facing 11 balls, and Chibhabha did not last long either as he was also caught behind as Bracewell ran riot.
Tatenda Taibu was also getting a feel of the Black Caps for the first time in this series, having been sidelined by injury, but he only scored four before departing.
It was then left to the fifth wicket pair of Mutizwa and Taylor to repair the damage and they put on 156 runs in 36 overs.
Taylor’s century featured seven fours and five sixes while Mutizwa’s contribution included three fours and a six.
Considering where they had come from, at the beginning of their innings, this was quite a recovery but, on this pitch, it was certainly not enough.
Zimbabwe’s bowling, without the injured Brian Vitori, has lacked the punch to take wickets and Taylor said they will need to bowl a lot better.
“It was a disappointing day,” Taylor told Cricinfo. “To rebuild from where we were was quite tough but 230 was never going to be enough.
“We need a decent start and our bowlers need to put them under pressure, 300 is a total we need to look at.
“We need to pick our game up again. Nice to spend some time at the crease. We can learn a lot from New Zealand.
“We are a better side than this.”
Black Caps skipper Ross Taylor said his team was confident.
“We were pretty confident chasing 230. Brendan was outstanding. Rob Nicol was promoted to open and getting a hundred was fantastic on debut.
“We pride ourselves on our fielding and that’s an area we need to work on.”
Nicol, who was man-of-the-match, said: “Pretty proud and it was an awesome day.
“It was a nice wicket. Guptill is a great batter and I enjoyed batting with him.”
Scorecard
Zimbabwe Innings
Sibandac McCullum b Bracewell 5
Chibhabhac McCullum b Bracewell 6
Masakadzab Bracewell 0
Taylornot out 128
Taibuc Williamson b Franklin 4
Mutizwac McCullum b Franklin 69
Chigumbura c McCullum b McKay 9
Utseyanot out 7
Extras(lb 2, w 1) 3
Total(6 wickets; 50 overs) 231
Did not bat: Price, Jarvis, Mpofu
F- o-W: 1-5 (Sibanda, 3.1 ov), 2-7 (Masakadza, 5.6 ov), 3-12 (Chibhabha, 7.3 ov), 4-21 (Taibu, 10.6 ov), 5-177 (Mutizwa, 41.5 ov), 6-192 (Chigumbura, 44.6 ov)
Bowling : Mills 10-1-29-0; Bracewell 10-2-55-3; Franklin 7-0-37-2 (1w); McKay 9-0-36-1; Nicol 5-0-23-0; McCullum 9-0-49-0.
New Zealand innings
Nicolnot out 108
Guptill c Jarvis b Masakadza 74
B McCullumnot out 39
Extras 11
Total(1 wicket; 43.3 overs) 232
Did not bat: Ryder, Taylor, Williamson, Franklin, N McCullum, Bracewell, Mills, McKay
F-o-W: 1-153 (Guptill, 29.3 ov)
Bowling: Mpofu 10-1-46-0 (2w); Jarvis 6-0-59-0 (2nb,2w); Price 10-0-45-0 (1w); Utseya 9-0-41-0 (1w); Chigumbura 4-0-21-0 (1w); Masakadza 3-0-13-1
Chibhabha 1-0-4-0; Sibanda 0.3-0-1-0.
Online Reporter