The home side was bowled out at 248 runs and the visitors were sent back to the pavilion on mere 158 runs.

Martin Guptill was declared ’Player of the match’ for his dedicated innings of 70 runs while opening the innings.
The match was played at University Oval, Dunedin, on February 3rd, 2012.

Earlier Zimbabwe Captain, Brendan Taylor won the toss and put Kiwis in to bat first. The decision proved fruitful as the home team lost two quick wickets at just four runs in 1.2 overs and the things were looking gloomy for them.

Guptill and Kane Williamson got together after the mini collapse and steadied the ship with lot of concentration. They kept the score board moving and especially Guptill sent the ball twice out of the ropes in fifth and seventh over from Keegan Meth. Williamson kept on securing the other end while pushing the score at will.

The duo contributed 88 runs for the third wicket when Williamson was caught and bowled by Shingi Masakadza for 35 runs. Tom Lathan was the new batsman in as Guptill stole a single on the last ball of the 18th over to complete his fifty. He tried to enhance the rate of scoring but lost his wicket when he was bowled by Elton Chigumbura on 70 runs off 105 balls with nine fours.

Lathan was gone after scoring 24 runs asNathan McCullum and Andrew Ellis made some valuable contribution in the late order by scoring 30 and 33 runs respectively. The tail was unable to resist as the whole team was bowled out on 248 runs with nine balls to spare.

Masakadza was the chief wicket taker with four, Chigumbura and Kyle Jarvis shared two wickets as Meth claimed one.
Zimbabwe had an awful start as Kyle Mills gave them tough time in his initial overs and grabbed two early wickets. The visitors lost three quick wickets for 15 runs as Masakadza ran him out on seven runs in between.

Captain Brendan Taylor and the seasoned Tatenda Taibu gave them some hope by sharing a brisk partnership of 52 runs in nearly 13 overs. The later was gone at his personal score of 20 runs and the middle order was unable to give some fight as Taylor kept on consolidating at one end.

Taylor was the fifth batsman to be dismissed on 58 runs off 68 balls with the assistance of one six and eight fours. Ray Price remained unbeaten on 26 runs in the lower order when the Kiwi Bowlers ripped through their batting as they were gone for 158 runs in 41.1 overs.

Rob Nicol was the main destructor for the home side with four wickets, Mills held three as Doug Bracewell and Ellis shared one wicket each.

New Zealand won the match comprehensively by 90 runs and is leading the three match series 1-0.