Cricket-Guptill's form continues as NZ beat Zimbabwe in Twenty20

Feb 11 (Reuters) - Martin Guptill continued his rich
vein of form against Zimbabwe as he scored 91 not out to help
New Zealand beat the visitors by seven wickets at Eden Park in
Auckland on Saturday in the first of their two Twenty20
internationals.

Guptill, who scored 232 runs in the three one-day
internationals at an average of 77, blasted five boundaries and
six sixes as New Zealand made 160 for three off 16.5 overs after
Zimbabwe had scored a credible 159 for eight from 20 overs.

Kane Williamson (48) combined with Guptill in a 137-run
partnership after Kyle Jarvis had taken two wickets in the
second over to put New Zealand under some pressure for the first
time on their tour.

Jarvis had been belted for two boundaries off his first two
balls but then bounced back to bowl Rob Nicol with his third
delivery of the over.

Jarvis then bowled a wide before having Brendon McCullum
caught off the fourth legitimate delivery for a duck. He
finished the eventful over by bowling another wide, conceding a
single and then a dot ball.

Guptill, who was dropped on the boundary on 20, and
Williamson, however, set about ticking off the runs with Guptill
the aggressor while Williamson kept rotating the strike and
ensured New Zealand achieved the total with 19 balls to spare.

The visitors had finally displayed some of the batting
talent that has been hinted at with Hamilton Masakadza blasting
three boundaries and three sixes to top score with 53 off 36
balls.

Elton Chigumbura also cleared the fence four times and hit
three boundaries as he scored 48 from 24 deliveries at the end
of the Zimbabwe innings.

Left-arm seamer Michael Bates, who bowled Zimbabwe captain
Brendan Taylor in his first over, grabbed two wickets in the
20th over to finish with innings best figures of three for 31.

Zimbabwe's tour concludes after the second Twenty20
international at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Feb. 14.

(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by
Patrick Johnton;

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