Fri, 04 Mar 2011 - New Zealand vs Zimbabwe, World Cup 2011, 18th match Group A - Bulletin

Kiwi bowlers Zim fold for 162

New Zealand bowlers put up a disciplined effort supported well by their fielders to help their side to fold Zimbabwe for 162 runs in the important Group A encounter played at Ahmadabad.

After losing toss, Kiwi bowlers kept taking wickets regularly and bowled according to a well thought plan to thwart any ambitions of Zimbabwean players of posting a big score on a batting beauty surface.

Good work from fast bowlers upfront was backed by their spinners with fielders diving around to prevent Zimbabwe to get easy runs and running two batsmen out. Zimbabwe had a bad start to the innings with their opener Charles Coventry run-out in the first over followed by fall of wickets in a quick succession.

All the Kiwi bowlers bowled their heart out with Tim Southee claiming three wickets and skipper Daniel Vettori and Kyle Mills playing his first match of the tournament getting two wickets each.

Gentle medium pace of Scott Styris also worked for New Zealand chipping in with an important wicket of Brendon Taylor.

It was Brendon Taylor at the top and Prosper Utseya in the lower order who prevented Zimbabwe from further embarrassment by putting up a resistance against Kiwi bowling.

Taylor scored 44 runs off 57 balls with four hits to the fence while Utseya fought hard for his 65-ball 36 to give bowlers something to bowl at Kiwi batsmen.

Zimbabwean batsmen appeared to be defensive against Kiwi bowling making it easy for New Zealand to get on to the top.

Vettori was brilliant and immaculate with his flight and variations getting his both his wickets in his firsts over and running out Lamb in his next over thanks to nifty work in front of wickets at non-strike end.

Fast bowlers were on the spot with their line and length making it difficult for batsmen to score freely .

TOSS

Zimbabwe have won the toss and elected to bat first on the Ahmadabad pitch which is very and expected help slow bowlers in the later stages of the game.

Two changes have been to the side that played against Canada with Sean Williams and Christopher Mpofu making way for Panyanagara and Chakabwa.

Kyle Mills, New Zealand finally gets a game after sitting out in both the matches Kiwis played in the tournament. The pitch, analyst say, is full of runs and as the match progresses there are chances spinners might come to play.

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Brendan Taylor, Charles Coventry, Tatenda Taibu(w), Craig Ervine, Elton Chigumbura(c), Regis Chakabva, Gregory Lamb, Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer, Ray Price, Tinashe Panyangara

New Zealand (Playing XI): Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum(w), Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, James Franklin, Scott Styris, Nathan McCullum, Daniel Vettori(c), Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Hamish Bennett

Read the complete story on Part 2