Related Links : World Cup 2007 : Scorecard
Black Caps beat minnows Canada by 114 runs in their last group match at the Beausejour Stadium in Gros Islet. The Canadians put up a semblance of a fight to score 249 with their innings lasting close to 50 overs. New Zealand had earlier piled up 363 for 5 after they were put into bat first.
After two consecutive failures, Lou Vincent finally got some runs. He went onto make a 3rd ODI hundred before he was caught and bowled by John Davison. Vincent’s 101 had come in 117 balls with 9 fours and a six. He shared an opening stand of 142 with skipper Stephen Fleming, who once again missed out on completing an easy century. Fleming made 66 from 67 with 8 fours and a six. Peter Fulton, the replacement for the rested Ross Taylor chipped in with a run-a-ball 47. The power packed innings towards the death came from Brendon McCullum smashing 52 from just 21 balls with as many as five sixes! Oram’s 35 not out from 27 was overshadowed by McCullum’s fireworks. McCullum had managed to pick up the fastest fifty scored in World Cup history beating Mark Boucher who had achieved the feat not so long ago against Netherlands in this same edition of the Cup. McCullum’s half century came in 20 balls which also became the quickest half century from a New Zealander.
Canada did not surrender the match just like that. They took the bull by its horn. John Davison, the Skipper took the initiative. The Kiwis could see the back of Davison in the 10th over but by then it was a 52 from 31 balls from the former Australia first class cricketer. Davison’s fifty had come actually come in just 23 balls with 9 fours and a six. His shots came from his pull shots, cover drives and lofted shots. Daryl Tuffey and Michael Mason in the absence of Shane Bond were taken to the cleaners by Davison and for most part did not have any answers to this onslaught. In the end, Canada got themselves a respectable 249 for 9 with Sunil Dhaniram, who was injured on his hand while batting not returning back to resume his innings of 17. Opener Geoff Barnett scored a slow 40 while Ian Billcliff got a 50 from 56 balls. Daniel Vettori got 3 for 57 in his 10 while Jeetan Patel picked up as many wickets for just 25 runs in 9.2 overs. Lou Vincent walked away with the Man of the Match Award. The problem for the Kiwis will be the new ball spell from Daryl Tuffey and Michael Mason. Tuffey was taken for 40 runs in his 6 overs while Mason was hammered for 60 in his 8 overs, he did take the consolation wicket of Davison.