Cricket: NZ storm to 35-run win over Pakistan

New Zealand's Nathan McCullum, centre is congratulated for his man of the match award
New Zealand's Nathan McCullum, centre is congratulated for his man of the match award
New Zealand are relishing their winning run and skipper Ross Taylor is now looking at going for a 3-0 whitewash over Pakistan.

New Zealand followed up Sunday's five-wicket win at Auckland in the opening game of the three-match series with a 35-run victory over Pakistan in Hamilton last night.

The emphatic win came after New Zealand scored 185 for seven after Taylor, captaining the side in place of a resting Daniel Vettori, lost the toss and Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi opted to field first.

The innings was built around handy contributions by Martin Guptill, James Franklin, Scott Styris and Peter McGlashan while Taylor anchored the innings after Jesse Ryder departed to the first ball of the match without troubling the scorers.

Pakistan, faced with a scoring run rate of over nine an over, collapsed after opener Mohammad Hafeez was run out.

Taylor indicated in a post-match interview his side would go for a 3-0 series result when the final match was played in Christchurch on Thursday night.

"We had a few go against us in the last few months so hopefully we can enjoy the win and go for the whitewash."

It was a strong all round display by the Black Caps.

Pakistan made one change, bringing in Asad Shafiq for Fawad Alam.

New Zealand, rotating their players, fielded Ian Butler and gave Wellington's Luke Woodcock his first international cap in place of Adam Milne and Dean Brownlie who debuted in Auckland.

The match got off to a comical start when the ball slipped out of Pakistan opening bowler Abdul Razzaq's hand and dropped a few metres up the pitch before it was called a dead ball.

But Razzaq had the last laugh. His first official delivery enticed Ryder into a swipe only to have the leg-side ball tip off his glove into wicketkeeper Umar Akmal's hands.

But Guptill, 44 off 28 balls and Franklin, 40 off 43, put on 90 runs for the second wicket by the 12th over before Guptill departed to establish a solid base for the New Zealand innings.

Taylor, not out 30 was held the innings together while Styris, 34 off 14 balls and Peter McGlashan, 26 off 10 balls, provided the fireworks at the end of the innings.

McGlashan, using some unorthodox strokes blasted 24 runs of one Umar Gul over, striking three fours and collecting two sixes with reverse sweeps.

Saeed Ajmal was the best of the Pakistan bowlers taking three for 35 off four overs.

Pakistan got off to a promising start with opener Hafeez hitting 46 from 30 balls.

But he was run out by Akmal who called for a suicidal second run and from three for 69, Pakistan were unable to build partnerships in the face of accurate bowling and tight fielding by New Zealand.

Chief destroyer was spinner Nathan McCullum who took four wickets for 16 runs. He also took two catches in the deep off consecutive balls from Southee.

Kyle Mills and Butler got a wicket each while left arm orthodox spinner Woodcock showed little jitters on debut to record an economical none for 20 off his four overs.

"It was a good performance. Guptill and Franklin's second-wicket stand after Jesse went early was outstanding and laid the platform for the rest of the players to come out and express themselves," Taylor said.

"It was quite a small ground for the bowlers and I think the fielding backed them up well -- the way Jesse, Nathan McCullum and Guptill fielded was outstanding and hopefully we can continue that in the next game."

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