By 3 News Sport online staff
Good morning and welcome to Dunedin where we have the New Zealand BlackCaps taking on the Zimbabwe in the first of three One Day cricket internationals.
We’ll be bringing you all the action, over-by-over commentary and video highlights as they occur from University Oval. Click on 'VIEW VIDEO' to see the latest highlights.
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LIVE COMMENTARY…. BlackCaps 248 Zimbabwe 158 (batting h/lights click 'View Video')
ALL OVER - BlackCaps win the first ODI
Over 42: GONE! Wicket I'm sure... McCullum with some smart work and it looks like Nicol has got a four-for and taken Jarvis. Video up.
Over 41: So NZ BlackCaps are one wicket away from taking the first ODI...Southee bounces Prices and then cuts him in half with one that moves off the wicket, missing everything.
Over 40: LBW! Nicol takes the wicker and it looks plumb and hits Meth right in front. The finger gets raised and there is no challenging that one. Video up.
Over 39: Great shot... reverse sweep for four from Price and N McCullum looks annoyed. That's the 150. Here we go... another reverse sweep for four. Video up.
Over 38: Meth unable to get Ellis away... 103 needed from 75 balls... but he's really struggling with the skiddy nature of his bowling. Maiden.
Over 37: Nathan McCullum angling them in...a single, some dots, and a 'beaten all ends up' to finish the over.
Over 36: Batting power play called. Ellis nearly sneaks through Meth first up. Price takes four down the leg side to fine leg as Ellis loses his line. Price strikes through the air on the offside but only picks up two - no timing.
Over 35: Nathan McCullum back into the attack... making the batsmen hit the ball. Just a single to Meth from that over.
Over 34: Ellis back with the ball in hand and he's had a good one today on debut. Dot, dot, dot... poor ball gets swatted away and Latham dives fill stretch to stop it hitting the fence. Single off the last to Meth.
Over 33: Price on the back foot cuts in front of point for four. Couple of fours from price in that over but this one is getting closer to the end as every ball is bowled... and we won't see 50. DRINKS.
Over 32: Bracewell tried to tickle up Meth with a short one. Five dot balls followed by a... four.
Over 31: Zimbabwe struggling to find the fence and only able to pick up the occasional single now that the pace is back. WICKET! Caught Nicol Bowled Mills - and that's clip catching practice as Masakaadza. Video up.
Over 30: Brendon going for the kill now as he's said that's enough of the slow bowlers and Bracewell will now partner Mills in the attempt to clean up this Zimbabwe tail.Ellis nearly gets Meth as the ball is ballooned in his direction. WICKET! caught and bowled as easy as can be. Video up.
Over 29: Mills brought back into the attack and he ties down Chigumbura for the first three balls, gets carted to the fence come the fourth and then beats him all ends up in the sixth.
Over 28: The overs are zipping through... single off the first. Nicol strays well done leg and is wided. Just the singles for the Zimbabwe batsmen as they begin the uphill task of chasing these runs down. Big shout... they've gone upstairs... it's not a no ball...there's no edge... height?... this is taking a while...the ball is hitting the top of middle stump... Waller will be given. WICKET! Great referral from the skipper. Video up.
Over 27: Oh it's gone straight through Williamson - that was a chance, well it would have been if he'd got a hand on it. Very touch catch. Five off the over.
Over 26: SIX! Nicol needs to take his sunnies off so he can see the glare from his captain as he is absolutely smashed by Taylor over the fence. It's gone a mile. They've lost the ball. Another one on it's way. Video up. he goes again... CATCH! WHAT A RIPPER! What a game Ellis is having as he climbed high on the deep mid off fence and landed a beauty to get rid of the captain.Video up .
Over 25: Ahhh Nathan McCullum into the attack as captain brother Brendon tries to sneak some overs through quick and catch Zimbabwe on the hop. Single off the second, couple from the fourth - three off that one too.
Over 24: Taylor knocks up 50 (Video up) from the change in bowling of Rob Nicol. Rob Nicol? What's Nathan McCullum done to his brother to not get a bowl? Just the three off that one.
Over 23: Southee back with the ball and Waller feeds his captain the strike immediately. Taylor then pushes one to mid on to take him to 49. Southee nearly picks up Waller as he pushes at one that brings Nathan McCullum into play - he dives forward but it fell just short.End of the over and Southee hit 143km that over.
Over 22: Taylor flicks one off his hips and he gets it fine enough to beat the man scooting around at fine leg.Taylor then pull sweeps one to the fence, one bounce, four.
VIDEO UP OF ELLIS TAKING HIS FIRST INTERNATIONAL WICKET
Over 21: Taylor showing that despite being four down he's going to remain aggressive. Wow some real zip from Southee as it pitches and shoots off the deck.
Over 20: Ellis looks with disgust as Taibu starts to pick the pace up and swing him through the leg side for four. WICKET! Ellis makes the break through as Taibu tries to get on with it and pops it up to Williams. Ellis takes his first wicket in international cricket. Video up. Geeeezzzz they then take a quick single and if Bracewell had have hit one of the three stumps from four metres there would have been another Zimbabwe batsmen heading to the changing rooms.
Over 19: Southee charging in again as he does and ties Taibu down for the first three balls. Then he slap-cuts for a couple of runs. Southee goes up thinking it was pad first but the umpire shakes his head due to the thick inside edge.
Over 18: Three runs off the over, little other to report than the ball being worked.
Over 17: Great shot from Taibu as he rocks onto the back foot and smashes South square to the fence. Run rate just short of 3.5 so that will need some upping. Big swing and a miss from Taylor and it just misses the stumps. DRINKS.
Over 16: A single brings up the Zimbabwe 50. Followed up handsomely by an LBW shout but the height of that one shows Ellis was being a little hopeful. Taibu has been very slow, his 6 runs so far coming off 22 balls. Just three off the over.
Over 15: Bracewell to Taylor and a four - he advances down the track and heaves outside off, poor timing means it skews past mid-on to the fence. And he goes again with a flat baseball-like shot that gets a top edge and one bounce into the boundary. Eight off the over.
Over 14: McCullum up to the stumps at 126km from Ellis making the bowling change. They are just picking up the angled delivery and turning around the corner for a couple of singles.Ellis seems to be sliding the pill on to the batsmen and forcing a hurried shot.
Over 13: Taylor straight back over Bracewell's head and into the fence for four. That's stand and delivery from the Zimbabwe captain. Again, a four followed by a single.
Over 12: Southee really bending his back and the Zimbabwe batsmen are watching it closely. However taylor took a four off the first, cut away and beating the infield and then a single off the last to retain the strike.
Over 11: Doug Bracewell with the breeze behind him. Taylor forces through the covers for two then picks up a single.
Over 10: Great shot by Taylor back over mid-on for four. Video up soon. Then a-la-Tendulkar he tries to ramp it over the top but doesn't get a piece of it.
Over 9: Three slips in for Mills. Going for the foot on the throat and there's man at forward short leg. Big appeal from mills but from first glance that looked like it was sliding down leg - and the replay confirms it. Top over there to Taibu, a maiden.
Over 8: Well you couldn't have asked for a better start to this from the BlackCaps having secured three quick wickets. South starts with a good ball, follows it with a wide then ties down taylor for the remainder of the over.
Over 7: Mills has Chakabva! A healthy edge provides some slip catching practice for Nicol. Video up.
Over 6: WICKET! Run out... that last one was just a practice it seems as Masakadza departs. Video up.
Over 5: Suicidal run there as Latham gets a shot at all three wickets from short midwicket but misses. Lovely straight drive fro Masakadka for four finishes the over off. Video up.
Over 4: couple of singles off the first two balls as the batsmen try and get adjusted to the pitch. Bracewell gets a little short on the last ball but Masakadza can pierce the field.
Over 3: Mills comes in and bowls beautifully and all Chakabva can do is prod it away for a maiden.
Over 2: Bracewell charging in... he hurries Masakadza with the fourth ball and nearly gets the edge. maiden over to start for Dougie.
Over 1: Mills bowling, first runs are singles from the first two balls as Mills struggles with his line to H Masakadza. LBW! The finger was raised slowly then and the two batsmen come together to see if they should challenge - good decision as Matsikenyeru was plumb. Video up.
BLACKCAPS HAVE BEEN BOWLED OUT IN THE 49TH OVER FOR 248.
Over 49: Masakadza bowling his last over and he's had a great spell. extra in the innings for Zimbabwe now up to 16. Southee caught in front absolutely dead plumb. that's the end of the innings. Video up soon.
Over 48: Kyle Mills (7) has been cleaned out - BOWLED! Video up. Jarvis went right through him. Five off the over.
Over 47: Masakasdka to Kyle Mills, no run, no run, swing and no run, and he charges and square cuts to the fence. the Kiwis needed that. The slower balls on this wicket have that tennis ball-like bounce. Kiwis, get the medium pacers going once you take the field. Bracewell, swings and misses. Just five from it.
Over 46: Four singles in the over so far.... and that's that. Zimbabwe doing well turning the screws.
Over 45: BOWLED! McCullum 40 (42) tries to hit down the ground but the bails go flying! Video up.
Over 44: Single to McCullum off the first to bring the Hobart hero onto strike.He plays a lovely fluid drive for a single to the man on the fence to get of f the dreaded duck. Another single to each batsman and that's the over.
Over 43: Ellis late on the advance and he digs out a single. McCullum with the same. Ellis gets a low full toss and whips it away to the midwicket fence. BOWLED! Ellis, 33 (30), looks for Cow Corner but the slower ball from Masakadza does him and he the ball collects off stump. Video up. Two balls left in the over. They've gone a couple of overs too early.
Over 42: Fine cut from Ellis past point breaks the run of singles with a boundary. Video up. Ellis keeps it turning over with a single.McCullum chimes in with a couple. Run rate slowly starting to get up again and a launch might start to come around the 45th. Sharp run to finish the over
Over 41: Ray Price to McCullum. Drives it straight on the onside for a single. Ellis goes the off for the same. Another single, punch through covers.
Over 40: Ellis cracks a four of the fourth ball of Meth's over... cracks isn't quite the word really, more like guides it past taibu to the third man fence. The New Zealand 200 is up.
Over 39: Five dot balls and an Ellis single sums up that over.
Over 38: Ellis finds the fence, cutting a short one outside of off stump . nice start to the over. he then picks up a single.Nathan McCullum cuts and runs for one. And Ellis picks up a nice single off the last ball of the over.
Over 37: Kiwis doing it in singles at the moment, and then Nathan McCullum says enough is enough and charges down the wicket with a heave over midwicket for four. McCullum works one off his hips for two and that's 10 off the over from Chigumbura.
Over 36: Well that was worth two wides as it went well down leg from Masakadza. Then a cheeky run and it's a direct hit but McCullum is home. Another wide down the leg... Kiwis can do with all of these that's for sure. McCullum driving and running for a quick single.Slower delivery to end the over and Ellis has played the shot before the ball arrives.
Over 35: Nice backward cut for a single from McCullum. BlackCaps just regathering themselves and pushing the ball about. Another wicket now and they'd be sunk.
Over 34: Brownlie RUNOUT! Wait, gone upstairs.... he's gone thanks to a direct hit. Tragedy for the home side. McCullom was on strike and it was Brownlie's call. Video up. Ellis out there on debut now.
Over 33: Brownlie goes all defensive, gets a single off the second-to-last ball of the over.
Over 32: Brownlie now joins in on the action and hits back-to-back fours. The first smashed into the midwicket fence and the second was wide of off and he cut well past point.
Over 31: McCullum picks up his first boundary and pulls a short one to the midwicket fence.
VIDEO UP OF THE LAST WICKET TO FALL
Over 30: Price to Brownlie and he gets a single to give Nathan McCullum the strike. He gets off strike third ball, clipping to midwicket. Brownlie picks up another.
Over 29: nearly a run out and Latham was left high and dry bu Chigumbura misses. Video up. Brownlie classy in picking up a couple to backward square. Wicket! Latham on the drive gets a fairly decent edge and it just carries to Taibu. Video up.
Over 28: Nice picking off the singles as it feels like a county game of English cricket with players rolling over their arms. Five singles taken.
Over 27: Latham shares the strike third ball of Chigumbura's over and Brownlie is just getting accustomed to the wicket, defensive.
Over 26: Latham finds the fence off the first ball with a strong sweep and adds a single to give Brownlie his first taste out in the middle. He sees the over off before picking up a late single.
Over 25: Brilliant... Guptill with soft hands drops it at his feet again and Latham scurries through. That's worth more than a single. Latham joins in and flicks one off his hims to fine leg. Guptill cut in half - BOWLED! Video up. Guptill made 70 (65). That one just nudged back a shade and went through the gate. just the two off that over with the fall of Guptill.
Over 24: That run rate is starting to climb, now up to 5.4. This over has been about some fine batting and fine running as the boys in the middle pick up some sharp singles. Four off the over.
Over 23: Latham and Guptill pick up singles respectively to start the over. Young 19-year-old Tom Latham looking very secure, hoping not to give him the commentator's curse. He drives off the back foot through the covers and the fielder makes a bridge of himself for the ball to travel under for a single.
Over 22: Price to Guptill and Guptill says don't bowl that crap to me and he rocks back to the short pitched ball and pulls past square leg, fizzing to the fence. Then he sweeps to the fence and takes a single to get off strike - the damage this over has been done.
Over 21: Masakadka gets away with the first couple of balls and then Latham gets off the mark with a four and then he gets another four. The first was a lovely drive and the second was short outside off stump and he latches onto it.
Over 20: Price to Guptill, no run. Price to Guptill, no run. Price to Guptill, no run. Maiden over.
Over 19: Guptill smacks a short long hop through midwicket to the fence. Then he hangs back and drops the ball at his feet and they sneak a cheeky single. Guptill's strike rate is 114! Video up of the four.
Over 18: Guptill brings up his 50 and there is four off the over. Well played, with some nice aggression combined with patience. Video up.
Over 17: Oh dear, the partnership has been broken right after drinks. Williamson walked down and across - again - which has worked for him but got a leading edge and it's caught and bowled by Masakadza. Video up.
Over 16: Power play signaled and the spinner is on, Ray Price. Williamson gets a couple angled in towards the stumps, gets two off the first... nice flight from the wily one. GREAT SHOT! What footwork. Inside the line and uses the angle from the left arm spinner and pulls it to the fence. Video up. He goes again, and it's back to back boundaries. Drinks.
Over 15: Another appeal as that one cut off the pitch and also looked like it got a touch. Snicko confirms... let offs everywhere for the BlackCaps. Taylor could have gone upstairs for both but he chose not to... poor captaincy right there as the partnership needs breaking and it was worth the risk. Single to Williamson. That one from Masakadza was a mile down leg and it's smartly flicked by Guptill, then off the last ball of the over Guptill gets one miles down leg and does brilliantly to catch up with it and turn it to the fine leg fence. Nine off that over with two couples adding to the tally.
Over 14: Chigumbura brought into the attack and starts down the leg-side and Williamson tries to pull that one... they go up, ohhh not out and it looked like he feathered it... no, it touched the gloves. HotSpot shows it touched the bottom of the glove. The very next ball Williamson gets a mid-pitched ball and he gets inside the line to pull. Lovely looking shot for a couple and only good work in the field saved it hitting the fence.Just a slight break in play as the bowler wants the footmarks dealt with and the sawdust makes its way onto the park. The partnership is now worth 65. Current run rate is just over fives. Williamson flicks one - one again inside the line for a single. Guptill picks up a single to face the beginning of the next over.
Over 13: Guptill hitting with the wind and Masakadza turns immediately to see if the fielder can get to the skied ball but it drops safely and they run two. He then picks up the hip-high ball for a single. Last ball of the over....and Williamson goes back and flicks one off middle and leg to the leg side to retain the strike.
Over 12: After a Guptil single and Williamson two, Guptill drives beautifully through the covers for another couple.Jarvis then cleans right through Jarvis but it misses the edge - lovely ball. Good length from Jarvis but he's too full and Guptill retains the strike with a single.
Over 11: Masakadza starts withe a wide. Guptill picks off a single to bring up the Kiwi 50.
Over 10: A leg bye and a couple to Williamson was the order of the over.
VIDEO UP.
Over 9: Meth gets pushed by Williamson for single. Guptill gets one hip-high full on leg stump and he puts it to the fence.
Over 8: Williamson hops back and flicks a single from Jarvis. Guptill pushes through covers for a couple then gets a full ball on leg stumps and gives it what it deserves for a boundary.
Over 7: Guptill picks out mid-on off the first couple of balls from Meth's over. Meth gets wide and Guptill punishes him through the covers to the fence. A wide adds to the Kiwi total then Guptill flicks one off to the square-leg boundary. He's starting to look pretty sharp.
Over 6: Jarvis is tying Williamson up - in saying that, Williamson is showing a good defence on a grassy top.
Over 5: Guptill smashes a four! he wanders down the wicket and clears mid-ons head. Meth the unlucky bowler then as he gets a healthy nick and it gets put down and travels through to the fence. That's a let off.
Over 4: Williamson picked off a hip-high ball and helps it onto the way to the fence! earlier, Guptill gets off the mark with a three.
Over 3: Williamson cracks a four in that over and gets the Kiwi ship started to be righted. He also picks up a couple so six off the over. Few technical issues with our video but we are not far away from adding the wickets.
Over 2: New Zealand loses their second wicket. McCullum is gone for 3 (3). He left one that pitched outside off stump and it nipped back and trapped him in front. This wicket... oh this wicket - what a toss to win. Video up.
Over 1: Disaster start for the BlackCaps with Meth bowling for Zimbabwe and picking up the wicket of Nicol o (5). He tries to chase a wide one and got a piece of it. McCullum picks up three runs. 1/4. Video up.
The teams are as follows...
New Zealand: Rob Nicol, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (c-wk), Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Dean Brownlie, Nathan McCullum, Andrew Ellis, Doug Bracewell, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Jacob Oram (12th man).
Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Regis Chakabva, Brendan Taylor (c), Tatenda Taibu (wk), Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Keegan Meth, Shingirai Masakadza, Ray Price, Kyle Jarvis, Tino Mawoyo (12th man).
Zimbabwe have won the toss and chosen to bowl - no surprises there on this grassy top. It's going to be tough out there early on for the batsmen.
The current weather is partly cloudy in Dunedin with some sun and a cool 16 degrees. Looks like we'll get some cricket today!
The first ball is being bowled at 11am so in the meantime watch highlights of the BlackCaps smashing Zimbabwe in the test.
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Team news
The BlackCaps released legspinner Tarun Nethula and left-armer Michael Bates from their final squad of 12. Tom Latham is expected to make his ODI debut and is most likely to bat at No. 4. Andrew Ellis too, is expected to make the playing XI. The only question is between Kane Williamson and Dean Brownlie.
New Zealand: (probable) 1 Rob Nicol, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Brendon McCullum (capt & wk), 4 Tom Latham, 5 Dean Brownlie/Kane Williamson, 6 Nathan McCullum, 7 Doug Bracewell, 8 Andrew Ellis, 9 Jacob Oram, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Tim Southee
Zimbabwe will welcome back allrounders Elton Chigumbura and ODI specialist Prosper Utseya. Whether there is space for both in the final XI will depend on whether Keegan Meth plays and if Ray Price is fit, as Zimbabwe may chose to go in with only one spinner. With Vusi Sibanda not in the squad, Brendan Taylor could return to opening the batting, although he has had great success at No. 3, which may result in Regis Chakabva taking up the opening role.
Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Regis Chakabva, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Brendan Taylor (capt), 4 Tatenda Taibu, 5 Forster Mutizwa, 6 Malcolm Waller, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Keegan Meth/Prosper Utseya, 9 Ray Price, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Brian Vitori
Pregame banter
The Canterbury pair of Tom Latham and Andy Ellis are scheduled to make their debuts for the Black Caps in the first one-day cricket international against Zimbabwe in Dunedin.
Skipper Brendon McCullum says Latham, the 19-year-old son of former New Zealand representative Rod Latham, will bat at No.4 or No.5.
Allrounder Ellis will come in lower down in the order, while his medium pace will be used in the middle stages of the Zimbabwe innings.
Latham and Ellis are among four new faces in the Black Caps' 14-man squad for the three-match ODI series.
McCullum says the two others, Auckland left-armer Michael Bates and Central Districts leg spinner Tarun Nethula, will sit out the encounter at University Oval.
He says the Black Caps will probably look to field first on what looks like a bowler-friendly pitch.
"Maybe it would be brave to come up against a slightly greener wicket and bat first," he said on Thursday.
"Given the preference, I think you would look to bowl, but we know if we do have to bat, we have enough depth in our line-up to be able to counteract that."
The Black Caps go into the series on the back of a crushing victory over Zimbabwe in their one-off Test in Napier.
However, McCullum said complacency hadn't raised its head in the New Zealand camp at all this week, and it was something coach John Wright wouldn't let happen.
"No, we haven't won enough games to be complacent," he said.
"We're enjoying the ride of finally being able to put some performances together, but complacency is certainly not an issue, especially under Wrighty. It's one thing he certainly wouldn't let sneak into the team."
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