It took a couple of weeks, but Zimbabwe finally gave New Zealand a game in the first Twenty20 cricket international at Eden Park tonight.
They posted a competitive total of 159 for 8 off their 20 overs thanks largely to the explosive hitting of Hamilton Masakadza (53 off 36) and Elton Chigumbura (48 off 24) and then put New Zealand under early pressure in the run chase, as the Black Caps slumped to 15-2 with the wickets of Rob Nicol and Brendon McCullum.
The visitors could sense something and Kyle Jarvis even got into a verbal exchange with New Zealand opener Martin Guptill.
But Guptill, as he has done all summer, made the biggest statement of all as he guided New Zealand to a comfortable victory with 19 balls to spare.
The opener is in terrific form and New Zealand will only hope it continues when the South African tour begins next week because the Proteas present a significantly tougher proposition.
Guptill brought up his sixth consecutive 50 for all sides (Auckland and New Zealand) off just 27 balls and finished unbeaten on 91 from 54 balls. He bludgeoned five fours and six sixes as he hit the ball to all corners of Eden Park.
Zimbabwe didn't help themselves with nine wides and a continuation of their shocking fielding. Not only did they drop Guptill early on in his innings - admittedly it was a difficult one on the boundary for Mazakadza _ but their ground fielding cost them valuable runs. Forster Mutizwa was one of the biggest culprits letting the ball trickle under his fingers and into the boundary.
Guptill and Kane Williamson combined for a 137-run partnership to put New Zealand in control. They did it easily as Williamson played a good support role to the more aggressive Guptill until Williamson was run out by a sharp piece of work from Shingi Masakadza for 48 with only eight runs needed.
Earlier in the evening, Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor won the toss and elected to bat first for the first time on tour.
Taylor opened the batting but was soon dismissed when he was bowled round his legs by debutant Michael Bates for three. From 16-2, Mazakadza and Tatenda Taibu (27) put on 62 runs for the third wicket which gave Zimbabwe some impetus to their innings and they were particularly severe on Doug Bracewell, who conceded 47 runs from his four overs.
Chigumbura took up where Mazakadza left off to put New Zealand under pressure for the first time on tour.
Bates picked up three wickets on debut (3-31) but came in for some treatment from Chigumbura towards the end _ Chigumbura was caught in the final over going for his third consecutive six. Fellow debutant Roneel Hira was impressive (1 for 22) in his first outing but Colin de Grandhomme's chances were limited and, while he was there at the end, didn't face a ball.
Zimbabwe complete their unhappy tour with a final Twenty20 game in Hamilton on Tuesday.
Scoreboard
Zimbabwe innings
B Taylor b Bates 3
H Masakadza c Franklin b Williamson 53
F Mutizwa c Guptill b Mills 0
T Taibu c Bracewell b McCullum 27
M Waller c Guptill b Mills 11
E Chigumbura c Guptill b Bates 48
S Masakadza b Hira 8
K Meth not out 6
P Utseya c Franklin b Bates 0
R Price not out 0
Extras (lb 1, wd 1, nb 1) 3
Total (for 8 wickets, 20 overs) 159
Fall: 1-5 (Taylor), 2-16 (Mutizwa), 3-78 (Masakadza), 4-88 (Taibu), 5-106 (Waller), 6-135 (Masakadza), 7-156 (Chigumbura), 8-157 (Utseya).
Bowing: K Mills 4-0-32-2, M Bates 4-0-31-3, D Bracewell 4-0-47-0 (1nb), N McCullum 2-0-11-1, R Hira 4-0-22-1 (1w), R Nicol 1-0-9-0, K Williamson 1-0-6-1.
New Zealand
R Nicol b Jarvis 12
M Guptill not out 91
B McCullum c Chigumbura b Jarvis 0
K Williamson run out (Masakadza) 48
C de Grandhomme not out 0
Extras (lb 0, wd 9, nb 0) 9
Total (for 3 wickets, 16.5 overs) 160
Fall: 1-14 (Nicol), 2-15 (McCullum), 3-152 (Williamson).
Bowing: K Meth 4-0-34-0 (2w), K Jarvis 3-0-32-2 (4w), S Masakadza 2.5-0-26-0 (2w), R Price 4-0-34-0, P Utseya 2-0-18-0 (1w), E Chigumbura 1-0-16-0.
Result: New Zealand won by seven wickets and lead the two-match series 1-0.
