Davison hits out in Benoni (Getty Images).
New Zealand v Canada
By Brenden Nel, PA International, Benoni
Click here for full scorecard
New Zealand swept to an emphatic five-wicket victory in their World Cup Pool B
game against Canada at Willowmoore Park.
The Black Caps reached their target of 197 with 27 overs to play in a result
which condemns West Indies to a preliminary round exit from the tournament.
Batting at a lightning pace of 8.57 runs an over in order to improve their
run-rate and give themselves a chance of making the Super Six, New Zealand lost
five wickets in a top-order wobble before a magnificent half-century from Scott
Styris steered them to the victory.
Styris (54no) hit four fours and two massive sixes - one of which landed in
the car park - to record his third career half-century off just 38 balls while
Chris Harris added a quick 38 off 29 balls.
New Zealand are now in second place and must hope Sri Lanka beat hosts South
Africa in Durban to go through or otherwise hope the hosts beat the
Sub-continent side by a big margin to reduce Sri Lanka's run-rate and let the
Black Caps in through the back door.
Styris and Harris put together a partnership of 83 off 58 balls to get their
side to victory after the Canadians had shocked them with five early wickets -
three of them falling to John Davison.
The problems for the Black Caps started in the second over when a horrible
mix-up between Stephen Fleming and Craig McMillan saw the captain stranded at
the non-striker's end following a quick return from Ishwar Maraj to Davison for
an easy run-out.
Nathan Astle looked good value before he waltzed down the wicket and miscued
Davison's slow ball to be stumped behind by Ashish Bagai for 11 off seven
balls.
McMillan further complicated things when he tried to loft the ball out of the
ground, but skied it and saw it caught by Bagai for 14 to give Davison his
second wicket.
Andre Adams joined Chris Cairns for a quickfire partnership of 65 off 44 balls
which included four sixes before Adams cut a ball to substitute Sanjayan
Thuraisingam at point to be dismissed for 36 off 20 balls.
Cairns followed shortly afterwards, scooping a ball to Maraj at midwicket as
he mistimed Davison to be out for 31 off 28 balls.
But with Harris and Styris at the crease, the Kiwis never looked back.
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