BLACKCAPS 185-7 Kent 143-7
Result: New Zealand win by 42 runs.
Half centuries by Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill have led New Zealand to a convincingly 42-run victory over county side Kent in a Twenty20 warm-up match in Canterbury this evening.
The partnership between the pair formed the backbone of the BLACKCAPS’ total of 185 – a target that the home side never looked likely to match.
Kent decided to bowl after winning the toss and their decision paid off within three balls as they had Hamish Rutherford lbw for a duck. Captain Brendon McCullum went for seven in the next over and the BLACKCAPS didn’t look to be enjoying the cold windy evening at 9-2.
Taylor and Guptill restored the innings as they put together a 98-run partnership for the third wicket. Taylor scored 52 before being caught behind and Guptill finished up on 56. Tom Latham added an impressive 38 from 18 balls to help the BLACKCAPS to a solid 185-7 from their 20 overs.
Kent started well but never kept up with the required run rate. After 10 overs they were just 56-2 and they didn’t bring up their 100 until the 15th over with four wickets down.
The home side finished up at 143-7 to give the BLACKCAPS a comfortable 42-run victory as they head into two Twenty20 matches against England on Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Oval.
Ian Butler finished with two wickets, while Doug Bracewell, Colin Munro, Ronnie Hira and Corey Anderson had a wicket apiece. The other scalp came from a run-out.
