Whangarei: Opener Rob Nicol plundered 146, the fifth highest one-day international score by a New Zealand batsman as they trounced Zimbabwe by 141 runs in the second one-day international here on Monday.
The victory at Cobham Oval, following the 90-run win in the first ODI, gave New Zealand an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and follows the overwhelming innings and 301 run rout of Zimbabwe in their one-off Test.
Nicol’s man-of-the-match 146 off 134 balls was the rock upon which New Zealand built a comprehensive 372 for six before Jacob Oram led a bowling attack that restricted Zimbabwe to 231 for eight.
It was Nicol’s second century in only his fifth ODI and he was supported by 77 from fellow opener Martin Guptill, and boundary-bashing cameos from Oram (59 off 28 deliveries) and 19-year-old Tom Latham (48 off 28).
Faced with a daunting target, Zimbabwe were in early trouble with the wicket of Hamilton Masakadza in the second over starting a collapse that saw them at 62 for five in the 20th over and the visitors could only manage 231 in 50 overs. (AFP)
Brief Scores
New zealand 372/6
(R Nicol 146, M Guptill 77; Utseya 3/71)
Zimbabwe 231/8
(E Chigumbura 63, Oram 3/29)
