New Zealand went into the first match of the series with three new caps all from the Canterbury Wizards. Dean Brownlie had played for the BLACKCAPS previously in both Tests and T20 Internationals, but both Tom Latham and Andrew Ellis were playing their first matches for New Zealand. Tarun Nethula then became the 171st Black Cap to play ODIs during the match in Whangarei while Michael Bates became Black Cap number 172 in Napier.
Tom Latham continued the family connections that have prevailed during this summer. His father Rod played against Andy Waller and Malcolm Jarvis during the Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe in 1992 and now twenty years later Tom is playing against Malcolm Waller and Kyle Jarvis, the sons of the aforementioned.
The Lathams are the fourth father and son pairing to play ODIs for New Zealand after Lance and Chris Cairns, Rodney and Aaron Redmond and most recently Brendon and Doug Bracewell.
At nineteen years and three hundred and eight days old when he made his debut in Dunedin, Latham became the seventh teenager to play ODIs for New Zealand and the youngest to debut since Tim Southee during the Black Caps tour of England in 2008.
Continuing the family theme the Masakadza brothers, Hamilton and Shingirai, are the fifth set of brothers to play for Zimbabwe against New Zealand. The match in Whangarei was their seventh together. For the Black Caps the McCullum brothers have now played twenty six matches together.
Shingirai Masakadza's figures of four for 46 in Dunedin are the best by a Zimbabwean bowler in their first match against New Zealand. It was just the third occasion that a Zimbabwean bowler has taken four or more wickets in a match against the Black Caps.
By scoring half-centuries in the three matches of the series Martin Guptill took his sequence of consecutive fifties in matches between the two countries to six. Guptill scored 86 not out in the 2011 World Cup followed by innings of 74 and 105 in the two ODIs he played during the tour of Zimbabwe in October last year. In this series he had innings of 70, 77 and 85 so has scored at least fifty in every match he has played against Zimbabwe. In all he has scored 497 runs in the six matches at an average of 99.40.
He is just one short equalling Andrew Jones' record for most consecutive half-centuries for New Zealand which Jones recorded against India (one) and Pakistan (five) back in the 1988-89 season.
Brendan Taylor also carried his sequence to four consecutive fifties against the Black Caps by scoring 58 in Dunedin having recorded scores of 128 not out, 107 not out and 75 during New Zealand's tour late last year. He missed out in Whangarei but made it five half-centuries in six innings by scoring 65 in Napier. His batting has shone like beacon among his colleagues and in nine matches against New Zealand has now scored 518 runs at an average of 74.00.
Cobham Oval in Whangarei became the twelfth venue in New Zealand to host an ODI for the second match of the series. It has previously hosted two White Ferns ODIs as well as twelve Ford Trophy matches and nine first-class matches since being constructed in 2005.
New Zealand's total of 372 at Whangarei was their second highest against Zimbabwe and their third highest in all ODIs but they went on to better that by one run in Napier. The Black Caps highest total is 402 scored against Ireland while they also scored 397 off just 44 overs against Zimbabwe just prior to their withdrawal from Test cricket in 2005.
The five wickets Kyle Mills picked up in the first two matches of the series took his ODI tally to 197 but he wasn't able to add to it in the last match where he was on drinks duty. He will be looking to the upcoming series against South Africa to becoming the fourth Black Cap to reach 200 ODI scalps.
Ray Price finally picked up his first wicket against New Zealand in his sixth match but not before he had conceded 227 runs. He managed another two at Napier to reach 100 wickets in ODIs. His average against the Black Caps is now 113.33 in contrast to his overall ODI average of 35.75.
Elton Chigumbura record is not much better. Followings this series he has taken three wickets against the Black Caps at an average of 102.00 while the unfortunate Brian Vitori's one wicket off the final ball of the New Zealand innings has come at a cost of 105 runs.
Rob Nicol showed his all round value by taking four for 19, his first four wicket bag, in Dunedin and then followed that by scoring his second ODI century and highest score of 146 in Whangarei. He also scored a half-century in Napier but wasn't required to bowl.
Jacob Oram reached his half-century in Whangarei in just 23 balls. Only Brendon McCullum has scored a faster fifty against Zimbabwe reaching fifty in 21 balls at Bulawayo in 2005. The fastest fifties for New Zealand were reached in just 19 balls. Brendon McCullum was the first to do so against Bangladesh during their Queenstown hammering in 2007-08 while Ross Taylor managed the feat against Ireland during the Black Caps 2008 tour of the UK.
Brendon McCullum's century in Napier was his fourth, but his first against Zimbabwe. He reached his hundred in just 79 balls with only Kane Williamson's 69 ball effort in Bulawayo last October being quicker with Zimbabwe in opposition.
Brian Vitori also brought up a century in Napier but an unwanted one. He is just the fourth bowler to have conceded a hundred runs in an ODI going for 105 runs off his nine overs. Australia's Mick Lewis has the most expensive analysis conceding 113 against South Africa in 2005-06. The other two to concede a hundred are the unfortunate BLACKCAPS Martin Snedden and Tim Southee.
New Zealand's innings in Whangarei included 29 fours and 16 sixes. They had to do slightly more running in Napier where they hit 26 fours and 16 sixes. The most sixes hit in an ODI innings is 18 which has happened on four occasions including the Black Caps during their record total against Ireland while the most runs from boundaries in an innings is 256. The New Zealand record is 252 (39 fours and 16 sixes) when the Black Caps scored the 397 against Zimbabwe mentioned earlier.
New Zealand's winning margin of 202 runs in Napier was their largest against Zimbabwe and the fifth time they have won by 200 runs or more in ODIs. Their largest winning margin is 290 runs against Ireland, while they have won by 210 runs against the USA, 206 runs against Australia and 200 runs against India.
New Zealand's winning margin increased each match during the series from 90 runs in Dunedin to 141 runs in Whangarei to their record effort of 202 runs in Napier.
Tom Latham continued the family connections that have prevailed during this summer. His father Rod played against Andy Waller and Malcolm Jarvis during the Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe in 1992 and now twenty years later Tom is playing against Malcolm Waller and Kyle Jarvis, the sons of the aforementioned.
The Lathams are the fourth father and son pairing to play ODIs for New Zealand after Lance and Chris Cairns, Rodney and Aaron Redmond and most recently Brendon and Doug Bracewell.
At nineteen years and three hundred and eight days old when he made his debut in Dunedin, Latham became the seventh teenager to play ODIs for New Zealand and the youngest to debut since Tim Southee during the Black Caps tour of England in 2008.
Continuing the family theme the Masakadza brothers, Hamilton and Shingirai, are the fifth set of brothers to play for Zimbabwe against New Zealand. The match in Whangarei was their seventh together. For the Black Caps the McCullum brothers have now played twenty six matches together.
Shingirai Masakadza's figures of four for 46 in Dunedin are the best by a Zimbabwean bowler in their first match against New Zealand. It was just the third occasion that a Zimbabwean bowler has taken four or more wickets in a match against the Black Caps.
By scoring half-centuries in the three matches of the series Martin Guptill took his sequence of consecutive fifties in matches between the two countries to six. Guptill scored 86 not out in the 2011 World Cup followed by innings of 74 and 105 in the two ODIs he played during the tour of Zimbabwe in October last year. In this series he had innings of 70, 77 and 85 so has scored at least fifty in every match he has played against Zimbabwe. In all he has scored 497 runs in the six matches at an average of 99.40.
He is just one short equalling Andrew Jones' record for most consecutive half-centuries for New Zealand which Jones recorded against India (one) and Pakistan (five) back in the 1988-89 season.
Brendan Taylor also carried his sequence to four consecutive fifties against the Black Caps by scoring 58 in Dunedin having recorded scores of 128 not out, 107 not out and 75 during New Zealand's tour late last year. He missed out in Whangarei but made it five half-centuries in six innings by scoring 65 in Napier. His batting has shone like beacon among his colleagues and in nine matches against New Zealand has now scored 518 runs at an average of 74.00.
Cobham Oval in Whangarei became the twelfth venue in New Zealand to host an ODI for the second match of the series. It has previously hosted two White Ferns ODIs as well as twelve Ford Trophy matches and nine first-class matches since being constructed in 2005.
New Zealand's total of 372 at Whangarei was their second highest against Zimbabwe and their third highest in all ODIs but they went on to better that by one run in Napier. The Black Caps highest total is 402 scored against Ireland while they also scored 397 off just 44 overs against Zimbabwe just prior to their withdrawal from Test cricket in 2005.
The five wickets Kyle Mills picked up in the first two matches of the series took his ODI tally to 197 but he wasn't able to add to it in the last match where he was on drinks duty. He will be looking to the upcoming series against South Africa to becoming the fourth Black Cap to reach 200 ODI scalps.
Ray Price finally picked up his first wicket against New Zealand in his sixth match but not before he had conceded 227 runs. He managed another two at Napier to reach 100 wickets in ODIs. His average against the Black Caps is now 113.33 in contrast to his overall ODI average of 35.75.
Elton Chigumbura record is not much better. Followings this series he has taken three wickets against the Black Caps at an average of 102.00 while the unfortunate Brian Vitori's one wicket off the final ball of the New Zealand innings has come at a cost of 105 runs.
Rob Nicol showed his all round value by taking four for 19, his first four wicket bag, in Dunedin and then followed that by scoring his second ODI century and highest score of 146 in Whangarei. He also scored a half-century in Napier but wasn't required to bowl.
Jacob Oram reached his half-century in Whangarei in just 23 balls. Only Brendon McCullum has scored a faster fifty against Zimbabwe reaching fifty in 21 balls at Bulawayo in 2005. The fastest fifties for New Zealand were reached in just 19 balls. Brendon McCullum was the first to do so against Bangladesh during their Queenstown hammering in 2007-08 while Ross Taylor managed the feat against Ireland during the Black Caps 2008 tour of the UK.
Brendon McCullum's century in Napier was his fourth, but his first against Zimbabwe. He reached his hundred in just 79 balls with only Kane Williamson's 69 ball effort in Bulawayo last October being quicker with Zimbabwe in opposition.
Brian Vitori also brought up a century in Napier but an unwanted one. He is just the fourth bowler to have conceded a hundred runs in an ODI going for 105 runs off his nine overs. Australia's Mick Lewis has the most expensive analysis conceding 113 against South Africa in 2005-06. The other two to concede a hundred are the unfortunate BLACKCAPS Martin Snedden and Tim Southee.
New Zealand's innings in Whangarei included 29 fours and 16 sixes. They had to do slightly more running in Napier where they hit 26 fours and 16 sixes. The most sixes hit in an ODI innings is 18 which has happened on four occasions including the Black Caps during their record total against Ireland while the most runs from boundaries in an innings is 256. The New Zealand record is 252 (39 fours and 16 sixes) when the Black Caps scored the 397 against Zimbabwe mentioned earlier.
New Zealand's winning margin of 202 runs in Napier was their largest against Zimbabwe and the fifth time they have won by 200 runs or more in ODIs. Their largest winning margin is 290 runs against Ireland, while they have won by 210 runs against the USA, 206 runs against Australia and 200 runs against India.
New Zealand's winning margin increased each match during the series from 90 runs in Dunedin to 141 runs in Whangarei to their record effort of 202 runs in Napier.
