Davison hits out in Benoni (Getty Images).
DURBAN DOWNPOUR HELPS KIWIS THROUGH
Click here for full scorecard
Click here for post-match reaction
Click here for photo gallery
Click here for updated standings
Click here for more World Cup news
New Zealand beat Canada by five wickets and have sneaked into the Super Sixes.
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.
And later in the evening they learned South Africa had failed to beat Sri Lanka in a rain-affected match and the Kiwis were through.
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.
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.
|
