ONE-day international debutants Rob Nicol and Doug Bracewell led New Zealand to a comfortable nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in their series opener in Harare.
Bracewell’s early three-wicket burst helped reduce the hosts to 21 for four before Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor (128 not out) and Forster Mutizwa (69) – the only batsmen to reach double figures – led a fightback to 231 for six.
However, Nicol’s century powered the Black Caps to 232 for one and victory with more than six overs to spare.
Bracewell – son of former Test paceman Brendon and nephew of former national coach John – flew out of the the traps to remove top three Vusi Sibanda, Chamu Chibabha and Hamilton Masakadza with just 12 on the board and Tatenda Taibu quickly followed, brilliantly caught by Kane Williamson at cover off James Franklin (two for 37).
But Taylor and Mutizwa battled back, the captain reaching a responsible half-century from 66 balls with four fours – although he was dropped by Nathan McCullum to gift him his 49th run. His first six was also aided by a drop, Andy McKay palming the ball over the boundary.
Mutizwa reached his own half-century from 85 balls, with only two boundaries, but then began to open up with a six off Nathan McCullum followed by a boundary off Franklin. But he paid the price when he chased a wide delivery from the latter and edged to give keeper Brendon McCullum his third catch and end a stand of 156.
Elton Chigumbura (nine) soon gave him a fourth off the bowling of McKay but Bracewell’s return was greeted by three sixes in an over by Taylor as Zimbabwe finished with a flourish.
Taylor struck five sixes and seven other boundaries in his 120-ball knock as he recorded his fifth ODI hundred, while Mutizwa scored three fours and a six in his fourth ODI half-century. However, their efforts were not enough as Nicol and Martin Guptill put on 153 for New Zealand’s first wicket as the visitors powered to a convincing win.
Nicol, unlike Bracewell, had made an uninspiring start to his international career in the Twenty20 games which preceded this series but his century stand with Guptill came up in the 20th over.
Both batsmen reached their fifties shortly afterwards – Guptill from the next ball, his 66th, and Nicol in the next over from 58 deliveries.
Guptill fell for 74 when he holed out to Kyle Jarvis off Masakadza but Nicol pressed on and reached his century with his 11th boundary from his 120th delivery.
By that stage, just a handful of runs were needed for victory, and Nicol hit the winning single off Sibanda in the 44th over to finish 108no, with Brendon McCullum 39no at the other end. (PA Sport)