WELLINGTON (AP):
T
im Southee took 7-33 in the most
destructive spell in New Zealand’s
one-day international (ODI) history,
and Brendon McCullum made the
fastest 50 in a Cricket World Cup as
the tournament co-hosts crushed
England by eight wickets yesterday.
Southee hurried England out for 123 in
33.2 overs, then McCullum made the embar-
rassment deeper when he smashed 77 from
25 balls, reaching a half century from 18
deliveries – the third fastest in the history of
one-day internationals after A.B. de Villiers
(16 balls) and Shahid Afridi (17).
Southee’s devastating second spell, when
he took 5-10 in four overs, and McCullum’s
ruthless onslaught saw New Zealand com-
plete its third straight win in Pool A within
seven days.
It won with 37.4 overs to spare before the
floodlights had been turned on in the day-
night match.
No victory against a top team in New
Zealand’s ODI history has been more com-
prehensive or executed with more callous
efficiency.
Southee began a record-breaking day with
the ball: he beat his own best ODI return of
5-33, then went on the surpass Shane Bond’s
6-23 (against India) to produce the best
bowling return by a New Zealander in the
50-over format.
To prove it wasn’t the pitch playing tricks
on the batsmen, McCullum went out and beat
his own record for the fastest 50 in a World
Cup innings – which
stood at 20 balls and
was achieved against
Canada eight years
ago. He beat his own
record for the fastest
international 50 by a
New Zealander.
McCullum didn’t just
dominate, but devoured
the England bowling,
hitting eight fours and
seven sixes, taking
18 runs from Stuart
Broad’s first over and
49 runs from two
overs bowled by Steve
Finn.
Morgan was out for 17 when England was
104-4 in the 27th over, having batted for 51
minutes and faced 41 balls which did little to
alleviate his batting slump or the personal
ordeal this tournament has become.
BOWLED FOR ZERO
He’d barely left the field when James Taylor
– England’s best batsman with 98 in its loss to
Australia – was bowled by Southee for zero.
That sparked the last unravelling of the
innings.
Jos Buttler (three) followed Taylor, Chris
Woakes (one) was bowled three balls later,
Stuart Broad went for four, and Steve Finn for
zero as England’s last seven wickets fell for
19 runs.
17
www.jamaica-star.comSATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015
SPORTS
THE STAR
NZ embarrass England
New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum plays a shot during their
Cricket World Cup match against England in Wellington, New
Zealand, yesterday.