McCullum, Taylor take New Zealand to 358/6

By IANS,

Mumbai : Brendon McCullum struck his third ODI century and stand-in captain Ross Taylor scored a 44-ball 74 as New Zealand reached 358 for six in 50 overs against Canada in a World Cup Group A match here Sunday.


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McCullum hit a 107-ball 101 as the Kiwi batsmen smashed the Canadian bowlers on a slow pitch at the redeveloped Wankhede Stadium. A win for New Zealand would assure them of a quarterfinal berth.

Put in, Martin Guptill (17) and McCullum added 53 for the first wicket before a smart catch by by Canadian captain and wicketkeeper Ashish Bagai removed Guptill off Harvir Baidwan.

Jesse Ryder reached 38 before chipping veteran off-spinner John Davison to Henry Osinde at long-on.

McCullum played a composed knock, hitting 12 boundaries and two sixes. Four balls into the batting Powerplay in the 37th over, McCullum departed but Taylor, fresh from his unbeaten 131 against Pakistan, launched a brutal attack as 74 runs came from the five overs.

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