westindies vs zimbabwe 2013

Darren Bravo guides Windies to 3-0 sweep

West Indies 215 for 5 (Darren Bravo 72*, Powell 42, Mutombodzi 2-35) beat Zimbabwe 211 for 9 (Chibhabha 48*, Sibanda 41, Permaul 3-40) by five wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Darren Bravo coolly kept collecting runs through the off side ©

The margins of victory became smaller as the series progressed, and in the final match, Zimbabwe even gave West Indies a scare in a modest chase. Darren Bravo, however, was around to guide the hosts to a 3-0 sweep after his mix-up with Kieron Pollard had caused a wobble in the middle of the innings.

Unlike in the second ODI, the asking-rate was never going to be an issue with Zimbabwe having managed just 211, but the rest of the West Indies top six gave away starts. However, Darren Bravo, having taken his time to settle in, coolly kept collecting runs through the off side till victory was achieved in the 47th over.

Zimbabwe had their second batting failure in three matches and their seamers lacked penetration again. The only positive for them was the performance of their young legspinners, Natsai Mushangwe and debutant Tino Mutombodzi. The duo kept West Indies' progress in check after the seamers had failed to break through.

Both Mushangwe and Mutombodzi were eager to flight the ball. They also got it to dip, drift and turn, and displayed admirable control for 22-year old legspinners. Ramnaresh Sarwan and Kieran Powell had eased themselves to a 46-run opening stand against the steady fare of Kyle Jarvis and Chris Mpofu but were tested by the introduction of leg spin from both ends.

Mutombodzi struck with his third delivery in international cricket, getting one to drift into Sarwan for the batsman to push it back for a return catch. Powell used the sweep effectively against the spinners and also played a few pleasing drives through the off side, only to throw it away for the third time in three innings, lofting Mutombodzi to long-on while on 42.

Darren Bravo was cautious against the legspinners, but cut rare wide deliveries from both for fours. Both Mushangwe and Mutombodzi had already bowled seven overs each at the halfway mark, and Brendan Taylor had to bring on his part-time bowlers.

Narsingh Deonarine and Darren Bravo were motoring along without worry when the former clipped Hamilton Masakadza straight to midwicket. Two deliveries later, Darren Bravo took a start for a second run, Pollard responded, only for the left-hander to stop, and for Pollard to be run out without having faced a ball.

Dwayne Bravo came in at 121 for 4 and his quick 25 eased West Indies' nerves before he holed out to long-on. Denesh Ramdin joined Darren Bravo with West Indies 45 runs away, and the duo shut Zimbabwe out with a busy partnership.

The way the visitors had batted, it was quite a recovery with the ball for them to make a game of it. Zimbabwe went nowhere at the start, then began to find some direction, but soon sank further and further. Barring a short period when Vusi Sibanda and Brendan Taylor counter-attacked, they were tied down by a disciplined and varied West Indies attack.

To make matters worse for them, an ill Craig Ervine, their best batsman in the series, was not available. In his absence, the middle order, when called upon to rebuild another stuttering innings, caved in, barring some fight from Chamu Chibhabha. The wiles of Sunil Narine and Veerasammy Permaul, the accuracy of Dwayne Bravo, and the pace of Kemar Roach and Tino Best were too much to handle.

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india vs austraila 2013

Australia calm despite Hyderabad blasts

	The second Test is unlikely to be shifted out of Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium © ESPNcricinfo Ltd  Enlarge
Related Links News : Board officials to meet on Hyderabad security Players/Officials: James Sutherland Matches: India v Australia at Chennai Series/Tournaments: Australia tour of India Teams: Australia | India

Cricket Australia's chief executive James Sutherland has said the second Test in Hyderabad next week is not in doubt at this stage, despite bombs in the city killing at least 12 people on Thursday night. The BCCI too confirmed that the Test should go ahead as usual and is unlikely to have a change of venue.

The twin blasts came on the eve of the first Test between Australia and India in Chennai, and the teams are due to travel to Hyderabad on Wednesday ahead of the second Test.

The bombs hit the Dilsukhnagar region of Hyderabad about ten minutes apart and were labelled "a dastardly attack" by India's prime minister Manmohan Singh. Sutherland, who is in Chennai, said on Friday morning that he had spoken to a BCCI official on Thursday night and the two organisations would work together to assess the security situation.

"It is sad news overnight," Sutherland said. "From our perspective the focus around the team is very much on this Test in Chennai, everyone is very comfortable here in terms of the security arrangements in place. The players are focused on what they have ahead of them.

"We will take advice from relevant authorities and work with the BCCI and others here to make assessments around Hyderabad, but at the same time plans have been in place for a long time and at this stage I wouldn't be calling into question things going ahead in Hyderabad as planned."

BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla confirmed that the Indian board had approached government officials regarding security in Hyderabad.

"I spoke to the Union home secretary [Sushil Kumar Shinde], who was in Hyderabad, and had a discussion with the chief minister [Kiran Kumar Reddy] and officials of the state government. After that he told me that adequate security will be provided to the players as well as the spectators. So Test match should not be shifted out of Hyderabad," Shukla was quoted as saying by PTI. "I have conveyed this to the BCCI president [N Srinivasan], who in turn is going to speak to chairman of Cricket Australia and convey that when government is giving a guarantee of security for the players and the spectators, we think we should not change the venue."

Australia's team manager Gavin Dovey spoke to the players and kept them up to date with developments, but Sutherland said they wanted to ensure they could remain focused on the Chennai Test.

"We don't hold anything back from the players, they know where everything is at," Sutherland said. "But at the same time they have expressed a desire to be focused and minimise this so that they can focus on cricket this week.

"We will work together with the players and the players' association on these sorts of issues. There is a high level of confidence among the group that the management will work through that. We will communicate openly and make assessments ... As far as I'm concerned we're playing the second Test match in Hyderabad next week."

Sutherland said Cricket Australia had great confidence in the BCCI's ability to deal with security issues on a day-to-day basis. Shortly before departing for the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Australia's captain Michael Clarke said his players were happy to be guided by the team's security experts.

"From the team's point of view, our focus is wholly and solely on the field because we've got people off the field who are experts in what is going on, we'll be advised by them," Clarke said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people of Hyderabad who have been affected."

england vs newzealand 2013

Anderson and Root deliver big win

England 270 for 2 (Root 79*, Cook 78, Trott 65*) beat New Zealand 269 (Taylor 100, McCullum 74, Anderson 5-34) by eight wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	Joe Root's unbeaten 79 saw England to their target in style ©

England marched to a business-like eight-wicket win in Napier, completing their second-highest successful run chase against New Zealand in the process, to square the series at 1-1 after an unruly burst from Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum had threatened Alastair Cook's masterplan. Cook and Jonathan Trott made solid half-centuries, while Joe Root twinkled with impudent brilliance in top-scoring with an unbeaten 79 but it was James Anderson's 5 for 34 that set up victory on an excellent batting surface.

Having asked his bowlers to keep New Zealand to a manageable total, Cook was rewarded with early wickets and a modest run rate, only for Taylor's seventh ODI hundred to provide a rallying standard and McCullum to launch a familiar riposte. The fifth-wicket partnership was outside England's parameters of acceptability but after McCullum holed out off Stuart Broad for 74 the last six wickets fell for 26 runs, as they regained control of the scenario.

The combined aggression of McCullum and Taylor with the bat, putting on 100 in 52 balls, had brought New Zealand back into the match but they both put down straightforward chances off Root. The first, a skier to McCullum, came when Root, on 25, top-edged an attempted pull at Tim Southee towards short fine leg and although the wicketkeeper made his ground, he misjudged the trajectory and failed to get his gloves under the ball. The next delivery, Root ramped the ball for a flat four through the same part of the ground and the fuse had been lit: 12 balls later, he had reached his fifty, accelerating past senior team-mate Trott with a cheeky "Meep! Meep!", like a Yorkshire roadrunner.

His innings blended grace and power, with hefty cuts and pulls offset by lissome flicks and cultured drives. Such was the quality, it's doubtful the man whose place in the side he currently occupies, Kevin Pietersen, could have finished more stylishly, as Root and Trott combined for a decisive 121-run stand to continue the trend of reverses that has seen the teams swap victories over five limited-overs contests on the tour so far. His third half-century also made Root the first player to start their ODI career with six successive scores of 30 or more.

Not only did he upstage the contributions of his own team-mates, in what was an improved all-round display, Root also overshadowed Taylor's first significant score since coming back into the New Zealand team. After a slow start, in which New Zealand were 21 for 2 after the opening Powerplay and only reached their 100 in the 30th over, McCullum whirled about the crease with all the violence of a Quentin Tarantino shootout scene while Taylor, more the Gary Cooper type, calmly knocked it around at the other end.

Discussions about Taylor's form had begun to overshadow the positive of his return, so this was an important innings for the New Zealand No. 4, even if it came in defeat. In his four previous innings, he had made 45 runs but here he progressed to his first international half-century since scoring 142 and 74 in his last match as captain, the Colombo Test in November. His ousting may still smart on a personal level but the detente can only be good for McCullum, Taylor's replacement, who will head to Auckland seeking a victory that would give him back-to-back ODI series wins at the start of his tenure.

After a level-headed, recovery stand of 72 with Kane Williamson, Taylor began to add some impetus, slugging Broad over deep midwicket for the first six and then sweeping Graeme Swann hard in front of square. He was joined in the middle by McCullum five balls into the batting Powerplay, after Grant Elliott had top-edged Steven Finn to deep square leg, and the pair were soon exchanging fist bumps in the middle. Should they reach the level of the brotherly bum-tap anytime soon, then all will be considered well within New Zealand cricket.

McCullum's fifty came from 26 balls - and that included just a single from his first seven - as Swann, Chris Woakes and then Broad were each targeted in succession. Swann's final over disappeared for 17 and included a six so dismissive that McCullum managed to crash the ball over extra-cover even as he slipped and lost his footing; Woakes and Broad then went for 21 and 20 respectively. England had been criticised for bowling too short at McCullum in the series so far but he tore up their plans to go full, as Broad was twice thumped down the ground in searching for the yorker.

Such was the volte face in scoring rates, that while the two opening bowlers, Finn and Anderson, went at less than three-and-a-half an over, the other three all conceded above six. The last time these two teams met at Napier, they split 680 runs precisely down the middle, with Luke Wright keeping New Zealand to six off the final over to force a tie. Paul Collingwood, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Owais Shah and Wright all bowled that day, exactly five years ago, but Anderson was the most expensive, with 1 for 86.

How things have changed. Anderson, fresh from passing Ian Botham as England's leading wicket-taker in international cricket, had talked of bowling until he was 40 before the match. You suspect even as an Oldsmobile he would cruise in smoothly and more experienced drivers than BJ Watling have nicked to first slip pushing at Anderson's length ball, which just veered away enough to take the edge in the seventh over. Hamish Rutherford, on debut, also fell early to Anderson, as the new-ball pair denied the batsmen width.

Finn was trotting in off a shorter run-up in an attempt to cure his knock-knee problem but showed no lack of pace and perhaps a touch more control - though he still managed to clip the stumps at the non-striker's end later in the innings. McCullum cracked the delivery for four and Cook received short shrift when asking Rod Tucker if it should not have been called dead-ball.

pakistan vs southafrica 2013

Injured Morkel out of third Test, Kyle Abbott in

Morne Morkel will play no further part in the Pakistan Tests ©

Morne Morkel, the South Africa fast bowler, will miss the third Test of the series against Pakistan due to the hamstring injury he picked up during the course of the second game. Dolphins' quick Kyle Abbott has been named as his replacement for the Test, which begins on February 22.

Rory Kleinveldt, who was already part of the Test series squad, is expected to make South Africa's starting XI though, ahead of Abbott.

Abbott's domestic form prompted his call-up, CSA selection convener Andrew Hudson said: "Kyle swings the ball nicely and is another player who has earned a call-up through outstanding form at franchise level. He has done extremely well in the Sunfoil Series [the domestic first-class competition] this season.

"He had an outstanding match return of 12 for 96 against the champion, Cape Cobras, and finished the series as the leading wicket-taker [49 wickets] and an economy rate of under three to the over."

Morkel had pulled up halfway through his 21st over in Pakistan's first innings, and left the field. He came out to bowl in the second innings, but managed only 3.1 overs before his hamstring trouble flared up again, leaving Jacques Kallis with the job of finishing his over for the second time in the match.

Meanwhile, seamer Lonwabo Tsotsobe is likely to have fully recovered from his ankle injury in time for the limited-overs leg of the Pakistan series, Hudson said. "We did consider Lonwabo Tsotsobe [for the Tests] but unfortunately he is still recovering from an ankle injury. He will only be fit in time for the limited overs segment of the tour."

Tsotsobe was ruled out of December's Twenty20 series against South Africa with ankle issues, but managed to play the ODIs that followed in January. He has not played any competitive cricket since.

srilanka vs bangladesh 2013

Mahela unlikely for Bangladesh series

	Sri Lanka may miss the services of Mahela Jayawardene after he sustained a fracture during a first-class match on Sunday ©

Mahela Jayawardene has been ruled out of the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh and is also likely to miss the rest of the tour after sustaining a fracture to the middle finger of his left hand. Thilan Samaraweera will replace Jayawardene in the Test squad.

Jayawardene will undergo surgery on Tuesday after he dislocated his finger while taking a catch in the slips during a first-class match for Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) on Sunday. While he couldn't avail medical attention immediately, scans later showed that a chip had come loose from the bone. He may be ruled out for four to six weeks.

"His scans have already been dispatched to Australia for further investigations, but experts have said that the forecast is not very good for the veteran batsman to play the Bangladesh series," Sri Lanka Cricket said.

Samaraweera had been dropped from the side after a poor tour of Australia, but has been among runs in the ongoing first-class tournament. He has made two hundreds and a fifty in five innings for SSC, and is the second-highest run scorer in the league so far.

Kumar Sangakkara is also fighting to recover in time for the first Test, and has begun light batting in the nets after fracturing his hand during the Boxing Day Test. He will begin more demanding practice sessions next week, but is likely to be playing through pain as he aims to be fit for the last round of first-class matches before the Bangladesh tour.

He had hoped to be fit and back in the game by mid-February, but it is still uncertain if he will play in the first Test in Galle.

Bangladesh arrive on February 28 for a tour which includes two Tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20s, in addition to a tour match. They play their last match in Sri Lanka on March 31.

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srilanka vs bangladesh 2013

sangakkara in squad for tour match

	Kumar Sangakkara injured his finger during the Boxing Day Test and hasn't played any cricket since ©

Kumar Sangakkara has been named in the squad for the Emerging XI that will play a three-day warm up match in Matara against Bangladesh, while offspinner Akila Dananjaya misses out due to injury.



"I've started batting in the nets this week and have had a good week of practice, so the match against Bangladesh is a good opportunity to get some match practice," Sangakkara said. "As long as I pull through ok, I will play in the Galle Test."

Sangakkara has not played competitive cricket since fracturing his index finger during the Boxing Day Test. He is the only player above 23 in the side captained by middle-order batsman Angelo Perera.



Offspinner Dananjaya had been named in the preliminary squad for the match, but has been left out after straining his finger while taking a return catch in the latest round of first-class cricket. He will be rested for one to two weeks, but is likely to be available for the limited-overs leg of the Bangladesh tour. Allrounder Ramith Rambukwella takes his place in the Emerging XI squad.

Batsmen Ashen Silva and Kithuruwan Vithanage, who are also in the Test squad, have also been included for the fixture, but 19-year-old offspinner Tharindu Kaushal misses out, and may instead be given a Test debut in the two-Test series. Kaushal is the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing first-class tournament, having bagged 31 wickets at 13.22, with four five-wicket hauls in four matches. He had also been named in the Test squad for the home series against New Zealand in November, before he'd played any first-class or List A cricket, but didn't get a match in the series.

The Emerging XI is coached by former Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana.

pakistan vs southafrica 2nd twenty20 2013

Pakistan look for victory in comfort zone

Match Facts

March 3, 2013
Start time 1430 local (1230 GMT)

Pakistan will be looking to Shahid Afridi to give them their first win of the tour ©

Big Picture

After the first T20 was washed out in Durban, the T20 trophy is up for grabs with just one match to be played. Unlike in the Tests, the gulf between the two teams hardly exists and Pakistan may have an upper hand in this format given their record and a new line-up for the new series.

A win for Pakistan will be a much-needed confidence enhancer after the Test-series whitewash and before the five ODIs which will conclude the tour. They have featured in two finals and two semi-finals in the four T20 World Cups but still need to overcome inconsistency and poor form on the current tour.

Experience in their T20 side and a win percentage of 59% in 66 matches might turn out as the ingredients they need for the winning recipe. With the addition of their limited-overs expert, Shahid Afridi, in the dressing room, Pakistan will be itching to taste success on this tour and give Gary Kirsten a headache before the ODI series, for which they will have a different captain.

Beating Pakistan in this format won't be as easy for South Africa as it was in the three Tests, as they have a new permanent captain, have rested Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis, and are without an injured JP Duminy - their highest T20 run-scorer in 2012. Faf du Plessis showed his leadership skills with a 2-1 series win against New Zealand in December, but Pakistan are a different kettle of fish, especially with the bowling attack they possess. South Africa also do not enjoy the supremacy in this format as they do in the Tests, ranked No. 5, only one point ahead of Pakistan.

srilanka premeir league 2013

SLC locks out 23 top players

	Kumar Sangakkara's comeback to competitive cricket, after an injury in December last year, will be delayed ©

List of locked out players Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Kushal Perera, Shaminda Eranga, Sachithra Senanayake, Jeevan Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera, Chanaka Welegedara, Ajantha Mendis, Suraj Randiv, Thilan Samaraweera, Prasanna Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Kulasekara.

Sri Lankan cricket is headed towards a major crisis with the board on Saturday night freezing out 23 of its top players over a contracts deadlock, less than a week before the start of the home series against Bangladesh. SLC, which met the players earlier in the day, has told its selectors not to consider those cricketers for any international cricket, including the Bangladesh series, until they agree to their new contract terms.

Player contracts expired on February 28, and all 60 players who were offered new contracts have refused to sign them before the March 2 deadline prescribed by the board.

"We spoke to all of the players present at the meeting, and gave our viewpoints and they also gave their points," SLC president Upali Dharmadasa said. "We have said, 'Nothing doing. We're going to stick to our guns.' It ended like that.

"They will not be getting any facilities that Sri Lanka Cricket has been offering them, including, physios, masseurs and coaches. They can't come for practice at our venues."

New Test captain Angelo Mathews and Twenty20 captain Dinesh Chandimal are among the players frozen out, along with the bulk of Sri Lanka's Test and ODI players. Mathews and Chandimal were appointed captains just over two weeks ago, and are yet to play any matches in their new capacity.

Dharmadasa did not rule out the possibility of Sri Lanka's top cricketers playing in the first Test against Bangladesh in Galle, but only if the players signed their contracts by then. Kumar Sangakkara is the only player immediately affected by the lockout - he was due to play in the three-day tour match against Bangladesh in Matara, which begins on Sunday. The match was supposed to be Sangakkara's return to competitive cricket after fracturing his index finger in the Boxing Day Test.

Dharmadasa also said SLC had not planned any more meetings with the players, but had invited them to put their concerns in writing, and present them to the board.

The major point of dispute in the new contracts is SLC's refusal to pay the players 25% of the board's earnings from ICC events, as they have done since 2003. This payment is to compensate players for their images being used by the ICC and its sponsors to promote the tournament as well as during the event.

Other points of contention include the board's move to freeze payment to cricketers taking part in the IPL for as long as he is with his IPL team, a clause tying pay to team performance, and the scrapping of a convention that allowed players' wives to travel on one tour a year on SLC's money.

Contract terms also sparked a dispute in 2012, though SLC had a weaker bargaining position then, having not paid its players since the 2011 World Cup. The disputes were eventually settled in July after players threatened to boycott the Sri Lanka Premier League, after having played international cricket without an official contract for over four months. Payment from ICC events had also been a sticking point on that occasion, as well as a clause that required the players to have SLC permission before speaking to media.

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india vs austraila

India steady after Sehwag exit

Lunch India 54 for 1 (Vijay 29*, Pujara 15*) trail Australia 237 for 9 dec by 183 runs 
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	M Vijay didn't play too many extravagant shots in his unbeaten 29 ©

While the first day of the Hyderabad Test had been full of big swings in momentum, the second morning was a more subdued wait-and-watch affair. Australia's bowlers weren't exceptional but were disciplined enough to allow only 49 runs before lunch. They only got the one wicket, that of Virender Sehwag, as India made slow-and-steady progress.

Neither of India's openers are certain of retaining their place in the next Test, and the selectors' patience with Sehwag will be running out after he nicked Peter Siddle to fall for 6 - he now has only one 50-plus score in 13 innings.

Sehwag's opening partner M Vijay needed a big innings after twin failures in Chennai, and he flirted with danger early on, chasing a couple of short-and-wide deliveries, prompting the usual concerns over his temperament for Test cricket. However, he buckled down after that, patiently waiting for the opportunity to score instead of trying anything extravagant. A regal cover drive off Siddle in the 10th over was the shot of the morning, and his next big shot was well over an hour later, stepping down to launch Xavier Doherty inside-out over mid-off.

Cheteshwar Pujara kept Vijay company for much of the session. He began with a clipped boundary to midwicket off his first ball, and three balls later took a risky single to the energetic David Warner at cover. The dive to complete that run hurt his knee, and he wasn't entirely comfortable running between the wickets after that. He was also fazed early on by a quick James Pattinson bouncer that thudded into his gloves.

Pattinson, the paciest of Australia's bowlers, started the day with a yorker, trying to dismiss Vijay in the same manner as he did in the first innings in Chennai. He also dished out some short deliveries to test the batsmen while Siddle, the other senior quick bowler, was more steady. The most disciplined of the bowlers was, perhaps a bit surprisingly, Moises Henriques, who conceded only three runs off his seven overs, though he didn't pose much of a wicket-taking threat.

Australia sent down 21 overs of pace, in which India only scored 35, before turning to the spin of Xavier Doherty. It's a big game for Doherty, who is playing his first Test since 2010 and has to shoulder much of the spinning responsibility in this match. Australia's worries over the strength of their spin department would have increased when he began with two friendly full tosses on leg stump, but there was some encouragement for him in the final over before the break as he got one to rip past Vijay's blade.

westindies vs zimbabwe

Blazing Simmons gives West Indies easy win

West Indies 131 for 2 (Simmons 63*, Dwayne Bravo 38*) beat Zimbabwe 130 for 8 (Waller 49, Ervine 34, Best 3-18) by eight wickets 
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

	Poor shot selection cost Zimbabwe © WICB Media  Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Sean Ervine | Lendl Simmons | Malcolm Waller Matches: West Indies v Zimbabwe at North Sound Series/Tournaments: Zimbabwe tour of West Indies Teams: West Indies | Zimbabwe

West Indies may have been without Chris Gayle, but they were not exactly missing his presence at the top as Lendl Simmons matched him for destructiveness, making a chase of 131 look ridiculously simple against a listless Zimbabwe at North Sound. Simmons muscled six sixes - mostly slog sweeps over deep midwicket - in an unbeaten half-century that helped West Indies home with nearly four overs to spare.

With the boundary ropes brought forward generously by a few yards, Zimbabwe were not able to take advantage of that after winning the toss, posting an underwhelming total. A partnership of 60 between Malcolm Waller and Craig Ervine gave the visitors some control but either side of that partnership were two collapses.

Zimbabwe got off to a poor start, losing three quick wickets in the Powerplay, but their predicament was more due to poor shot selection. Vusi Sibanda slashed a short ball from Tino Best straight to third man; Brendan Taylor attempted a cheeky reverse paddle before he was set and ended up edging to the keeper; Hamilton Masakadza tried to smack another short ball from Best but was brilliantly taken one-handed by Kieron Pollard at backward point. Masakadza's was not the poorest of shots, but Pollard's sharp reflexes had the better of him. Masakadza was starting to look dangerous, having clubbed Best for a six over deep square leg the previous ball and he walked back in disbelief.

Ervine didn't take long to settle, driving a low full toss off the legspinner Samuel Badree wide of cover and then rocking back and cutting the same bowler past point when he dropped short. The pair progressed at the rate of five and a half runs an over, and were prepared to wait for the loose ball.

Ervine picked up the pace when he cut Darren Sammy over point and then gliding the next ball past the keeper to break a boundary drought that lasted 24 balls. Sunil Narine broke the stand of 60 when he had Ervine stumped, deliberately bowling it wide outside off and spinning it away on seeing the batsman advance. Waller kept the momentum going when he smashed two sixes in an over off Sammy that leaked 18, the most expensive of the innings. Waller looked set for a deserving fifty but was bowled by Narine playing across the line. Waller's fall halted Zimbabwe's charge as they looked to beat the average first innings score at this ground, 134.

Like Gayle, Simmons began watchfully, plodding to 3 off nine balls before opening up. His opening partner Johnson Charles began in robust manner, clipping the first ball of the chase for four, before ripping into Kyle Jarvis. Charles smashed five consecutive fours in Jarvis' second over, with two powerful drives off the front foot through the off side, and the remaining through the on side. Christopher Mpofu gave the Zimbabweans some relief when he trapped Charles lbw, lazily prodding forward, before getting Darren Bravo to miscue a pull to mid-on.

The relief was only temporary. The captain Taylor had himself to blame when he fluffed a run-out chance against Dwayne Bravo, failing to gather the ball as the batsman struggled to make his ground. It was Zimbabwe's last hope of creating pressure. Simmons was merciless against the rookie legspinner Tinotenda Mutombodzi, slogging him for two sixes in his first over. Natsai Mushangwe was dealt with similarly, as Simmons peppered the on side with massive blows. Simmons scored his first four after he had already bashed five sixes and he sealed the chase in style with a straight six off Jarvis, who leaked 39 off 3.1 overs.

england vs new zealand

Finn leads England to series win

England 186 for 5 (Cook 46, Morgan 39) beat New Zealand 185 (McCullum 79, Finn 3-27) by five wickets
Scorecard

	Steven Finn was unplayable and lead England to a resounding win in the final ODI ©

If occasionally knocking over the bowler's end bails can be deemed a weakness, it is the only blemish against Steven Finn at the moment. His new, shorter, run up is designed to address that issue and it has taken none of the pace and aggression away from him, qualities which were too good for New Zealand as England comfortably won the deciding ODI.

The win secured their first ODI series in New Zealand since 1992 and was the result of a fine bowling display led by Finn. His excellence included three wickets that laid a platform for England to dominate in the field. He and James Anderson conceded just 18 in the opening 10 overs and New Zealand never recovered, being bowled out for a total nowhere near competitive on a dry, hard, flat surface.

England should have completed a rout but stuttered slightly towards the end of the chase. For the most part they played with the fluency expected on an excellent drop-in pitch. Brendon McCullum also did justice to the conditions with another fine captain's innings, his third consecutive half-century, but the rest of New Zealand's batsman were undone by England's dangerous, disciplined attack, the best of whom was Finn.

The wicket was tailor-made for him and he was often unplayable. His opening spell went for just five and created a crawl through the Powerplay. A regular fall of wickets stymied the recovery and Brendon McCullum's 79 in 68 balls was a lone hand.

England could have asked for no better after Alastair Cook decided to bowl. On a tiny ground - boundaries so short the venue would not be ratified by the ICC if it were a new ground - it was a remarkable performance with the ball. Finn and Anderson produced another opening 10 overs where New Zealand went nowhere and the mood remained throughout the innings.

Only when McCullum opened up in the second Powerplay did New Zealand ever look like making the progress demanded of them to be competitive. But when he was superbly taken by Anderson at deep midwicket to be last man out, New Zealand had wasted seven overs of their innings and were looking down the barrel of defeat.

Chasing such a small target against an attack with few threats, England encountered few problems. New Zealand's seamers are at least five-miles-an-hour slower than England's and provided none of the control that saw the first innings so stifled. England went at five an over in the Powerplay.

They allowed the chase to descend from overwhelming to workmanlike with some lazy strokes - Cook and Jonathan Trott both caught behind driving outside off - but it was beneficial that Eoin Morgan was able to enjoy time at the crease. He drove well off Tim Southee before lifting him over midwicket for six and striking Nathan McCullum over long-on: 39 from 24 balls was a strong reminder of Morgan's ability at a time when everyone's place is under scrutiny because of Joe Root's emergence. Root again led England home with a composed, mature innings.

england vs newzealand

I'm a bit more versatile now - Fulton

	Peter Fulton has not played a Test since December 2009 but enjoyed a fine run of form in domestic cricket this season ©

Peter Fulton has admitted he has "a pretty average" Test record, but hopes a new found versatility will help him grasp his latest opportunity in international cricket. Fulton has not played a Test since December 2009 but, having enjoyed a fine run of form in domestic cricket, finds himself back in the New Zealand Test squad to face England.

Fulton has averaged just 20.93 from his first 10 Tests but, as the second-highest run-scorer in this season's Plunket Shield, has forced his way back into contention. Fulton scored 902 runs in nine Shield matches, with three centuries, seven half-centuries at an average of 56.37. Had the recurrence of a knee injury not forced him home, he would have opened the batting during the series against South Africa.

"Getting selected is great, but now I need to work hard, play well and score runs to keep myself in there," 34-year-old Fulton said. "I've always looked at my international career in two parts. There's the ODI stuff, where I played 49 games and compiled a pretty handy record. Then there's the 10 or so Tests I played. I never really got going and had a pretty average record.

"I do think my game has changed a bit though and I'm a bit more versatile now. I've scored a few runs this season, some quite quickly and some I've really had to grind out."

He is not the only mature face in the New Zealand squad. Bruce Martin was first called into the New Zealand squad as a teenager in 2000 but, 13 years later and aged 32, remains without an international cap. Now, like then, he owes his call-up in part to injury to his fellow left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori but, while he missed out to Darly Tuffey on that occasion, looks certain to play this time.

Martin's Plunket Shied record this season is modest - he averages 40.40 runs per wicket - but, having narrowly missed out to Jeetan Patel for selection in the Tests against South Africa - will play unless New Zealand opt for an all-seam attack.

"I worked hard in South Africa and I was disappointed I didn't get a run there," Martin said. "I knew I was thereabouts and I had to keep working hard. It was still a nice surprise. It's going to be good fun and I can't wait.

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england vs newzealand

Watling chases down uncertain England

New Zealand XI 349 (Rutherford 90, Anderson 67, Swann 2-53) and 334 for 7 (Watling 89*, Root 2-42) beat England XI 426 (Bell 158, Cook 60, Neesham 4-72) and 256 (Prior 68, Gillespie 4-87) by 3 wickets
Scorecard

	BJ Watling played two crucial knocks to down the England XI in Queenstown ©

England's bowlers will know plenty about BJ Watling going into the first Test, after the wicketkeeper guided New Zealand XI to an excellent three-wicket victory with eight balls to spare in Queenstown, to leave the visitors in far from perfect form heading into the series.

It was England's first defeat in a first-class warm-up match on tour since they lost by eight wickets against an India Board President's XI in Vadodara in February 2006. The attack, except for Graeme Swann, struggled for consistency on a surface that, while offering a hint of turn, remained true for batting throughout.

At tea, England were favourites with New Zealand XI 167 for 5. Watling and Corey Anderson, who together bludgeoned a 105-run stand in the first innings, produced a repeat performance in the second innings by adding 89 runs in 19 overs. Graham Onions again came in for punishment, as a two-over spell went for 23, on another dispiriting day for him. He claimed forgettable match figures of 1 for 213.

Joe Root was given an extended bowling spell during the evening session, partly because Swann was off the field for a few overs, and also probably with a view to have him filling in for a few overs during the Tests. Root struck twice to keep England in the hunt. Anderson advanced down the pitch to Root and ended up yorking himself. After a 46-run stand for the seventh wicket, Jimmy Neesham picked out Stuart Broad at deep square-leg.

However, Watling, who was dropped in the gully on 47 by Swann, shortly after he came back on the field, provided a calm head as the home side ended up winning with time to spare. Neil Wagner, after being added to New Zealand's squad for the first Test earlier in the day, did not need to be shielded from the strike and played some handsome strokes, including a top-edged hook for six off Broad, and a boundary that leveled the scores, to ease the pressure on Watling in their match-sealing stand of 52

England declared overnight, leaving the New Zealand XI a full day to chase the target. As in the first innings they made a solid start, seeing off the new ball through an opening stand of 56. Hamish Rutherford showed his intent by upper-cutting Broad over point for six, before departing playing a similar shot off Chris Woakes, which was taken by Nick Compton at point. Broad returned for a second spell and pitched the ball a touch fuller, which brought reward when Carl Cachopa was caught on the crease and lost his off stump.

For the next 23 overs either side of lunch, Tom Latham and Neil Broom resisted solidly and kept the score ticking over. Onions was given another extended chance to bowl himself into form, but never suggested he would find his groove.

Swann broke the partnership when he removed Latham while playing the sweep, and there was a touch through to Matt Prior who held on while in the process of appeal for lbw. Broad, who again maintained his pace throughout each spell, removed Broom offering no shot and when Dean Brownlie fenced to second slip the game looked to be England's. Instead, they will travel to Dunedin on Sunday with another reminder of the fighting qualities of New Zealand cricketers.

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