The BLACKCAPS were the better team with bat and ball in the drawn two-day warm-up match against Zimbabwe A in Bulawayo.
After declaring on their overnight score of 344 for eight the BLACKCAPS bowled out Zimbabwe A for 241 in 70.5 overs.
Chris Martin led the attack taking three for 31 while Daniel Vettori picked up three for 35. As well as being the top wicket takers the two senior bowlers were also the most difficult to score off recording economy rates of 2.41 and 1.89 respectively.
Graeme Aldridge chipped in with two wickets while Doug Bracewell and Dean Brownlie got one apiece.
Middle order batsmen Regis Chakabva (40) and Malcolm Waller (66) were the best of the Zimbabweans.
BJ Watling and Vettori got some extra batting practice towards the end of the match with the pair opening the batting and putting on an unbeaten 49 run partnership in 12 overs. Watling finished 16* and Vettori 32*.
Scorecard:
BLACKCAPS first innings
BB McCullum c Chakabva b Chinouya 63
MJ Guptill c Mutizwa b SW Masakadza 12
KS Williamson not out 86
LRPL Taylor retired 51
JD Ryder c sub (B Chari) b Utseya 26
DG Brownlie c Utseya b Meth 36
DL Vettori c †Mutizwa b Utseya 19
RA Young† c †Mutizwa b Utseya 4
DAJ Bracewell c H Masakadza b Mushangwe 18
JS Patel not out 19
Still to bat: BJ Watling, CS Martin
Extras: (1lb, 4w, 1nb, 3b) 9
Total: (for 8 wks; 90 overs) 344
Bowling: EC Rainsford 10-2-24-0 (1w, 1nb), SW Masakadza 12-3-70-1 (1w), KO Meth 11-3-42-1, MT Chinouya 11-1-53-1 (2w), P Utseya 24-4-75-3, N Mushangwe 22-6-76-2
Zimbabwe A first innings
H Masakadza b Martin 8
TMK Mawoyo* c Guptill b Aldridge 9
F Mutizwa† c Watling b Vettori 12
RW Chakabva c Aldridge b Martin 40
MN Waller c Patel b Brownlie 66
E Chigumbura c Guptill b Bracewell 0
P Utseya c Brownlie b Aldridge 34
KO Meth lbw b Vettori 26
SW Masakadza not out 15
EC Rainsford c Taylor b Vettori 5
N Mushangwe lbw b Martin 8
Extras: (4lb, 7w, 7b) 18
Total: (all out; 70.5 overs) 241
Bowling: CS Martin 12.5-5-31-3, DAJ Bracewell 10-4-35-1, GW Aldridge 12-2-40-2 (1w), JD Ryder 0.3-0-5-0 (1w), DL Vettori 18.3-8-35-3, DG Brownlie 5-0-32-1 (1w), JS Patel 10-0-39-0, MJ Guptill 2-0-13-0
BLACKCAPS second innings
BJ Watling not out 16
DL Vettori not out 32
Still to bat: BB McCullum, MJ Guptill, KS Williamson, LRPL Taylor, JD Ryder, DG Brownlie, RA Young†, DAJ Bracewell, JS Patel, CS Martin
Bowling: EC Rainsford 3-0-14-0 (1w), SW Masakadza 3-2-5-0, MT Chinouya 3-1-14-0, E Chigumbura 1-1-0-0, KO Meth 2-0-16-0
Extras: (1w) 1
Total: (0 wickets; 12 overs) 49
* 14 players per side, 11 batting/11 bowling
DAY 1: BLACKCAPS 344-8 at stumps against Zimbabwe A
The BLACKCAPS have started strongly in the two-day warm-up match against Zimbabwe A in Bulawayo.
After winning the toss and electing to bat the BLACKCAPS compiled 344 for eight, highlighted by an excellent 86 not out by Kane Williamson and solid half centuries from Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor.
McCullum got the BLACKCAPS off to swift start hitting 11 boundaries on his way to 63 off 66 balls while Taylor retired after reaching a composed 51.
Williamson continued his good form for the last ODI, where he scored an unbeaten century, to anchor the innings with a superb knock that included 13 fours and two sixes.
Scorecard:
BB McCullum c Chakabva b Chinouya 63
MJ Guptill c Mutizwa b SW Masakadza 12
KS Williamson not out 86
LRPL Taylor retired 51
JD Ryder c sub (B Chari) b Utseya 26
DG Brownlie c Utseya b Meth 36
DL Vettori c †Mutizwa b Utseya 19
RA Young† c †Mutizwa b Utseya 4
DAJ Bracewell c H Masakadza b Mushangwe 18
JS Patel not out 19
Still to bat: BJ Watling, CS Martin
Extras: (1lb, 4w, 1nb, 3b) 9
Total: (for 8 wks; 90 overs) 344
Bowling: EC Rainsford 10-2-24-0 (1w, 1nb), SW Masakadza 12-3-70-1 (1w), KO Meth 11-3-42-1, MT Chinouya 11-1-53-1 (2w), P Utseya 24-4-75-3, N Mushangwe 22-6-76-2
* 14 players per side, 11 batting/11 bowling
