Cricket: Zimbabwe better in shorter forms

Ross Taylor. Photo / APN

There is a line of thinking that the gulf between two teams is narrowed the shorter the version of the game.

After the shambolic Zimbabwe performance in the Napier test, let's hope so.

They have three ODIs and a couple of T20 internationals coming up against New Zealand. There are reasons for expecting a more competitive showing in those games after they were hosed by an innings and 301 runs at McLean Park in effectively two days and one session.

It was New Zealand's biggest test-winning margin, Zimbabwe's first innings 51 their worst test score and, aside from the quality of the hosts' bowling and catching, which was top class, seriously grim viewing on Saturday.

But it wasn't just the batting that let Zimbabwe down. Their catching was poor and overstepping by bowlers proved costly more than once.

Only twice before has a team lost all 20 wickets inside a day. Yet New Zealand will be on guard when the ODIs start at Dunedin's University Oval on Friday.

They lost their last ODI in Zimbabwe in October, finding 328 undefendable in Bulawayo, and the Zimbabweans must hope they can rediscover their best game in quick time.

"They are more a shorter-form team, so we won't be taking them lightly in the one-dayers or T20s," young seamer Doug Bracewell said.

"They've got a few guys in the top order who can strike it pretty cleanly and if they get away they can be hard to stop. We'll be looking to back up this performance."

Zimbabwe's biggest issue this week may be mental. They must get tuned back in smartly, consign the events at Napier to the bin for now - certainly learn from the depressing experience, but leave that for later - and make the most of the remainder of this tour.

Even allowing for the quality of the opposition, New Zealand's performance had plenty to admire.

The catching was sure-handed. Thirteen of the 20 wickets on Saturday fell to catches in the arc from wicketkeeper to gully - and how often has a New Zealand fast-medium bowler had the support of a six-strong cordon since Sir Richard Hadlee in his pomp?

Dean Brownlie's five in the match - his last, clutched one-handed high above his head was a cracker - put him behind only Stephen Fleming (twice) and Bryan Young for that achievement. His four in the first innings are matched by only Fleming and both Martin and Jeff Crowe. Then there was BJ Watling, who joined elite keeping company in making a test hundred as a specialist wicketkeeper. His 102 not out, coupled with a generally tidy display behind the stumps, eloquently answered any questions about his suitability for the job.

"He had a good test but he's still got a lot of work to do with his keeping," coach John Wright said, in his best feet-on-the-ground speak.

"We feel given time and the opportunity to keep that he's got the makings of being up to this level."

With that in mind, his absence from the ODI and T20 squads named on Saturday is slightly baffling.

There was a certain appropriateness about the conclusion of the test, last man Brian Vitori out c Watling b Martin.

It was a fine catch, wide to the keeper's left, and took Martin level with Chris Cairns on 218 test wickets. Only Hadlee (431 wickets) and Dan Vettori (355) are ahead of him.

Martin bowled splendidly, deservedly won man of the match for his eight for 31, slicing the top off both Zimbabwe innings and leading the pace quartet admirably. Age is certainly not wearying him.

"The boys are very confident," Bracewell said. "We talked about backing up the Hobart performance on to this and not taking Zimbabwe lightly. We did that. Finishing the test in three days is unreal."

New Zealand's first win in 10 tests at McLean Park since 1979 ends that particular jinx.

There is a spring in this team's step. Bigger challenges are approaching, but there is a good feeling around the New Zealand camp right now.

* Ross Taylor is targeting the start of the ODI series against South Africa, at Wellington on February 25 to return to captain the national side after tearing a calf muscle which ended his century at Napier.

Taylor and Wright praised stand-in skipper Brendon McCullum's attack-minded leadership when he took over against Zimbabwe.

"Brendon's been outstanding in the way he's conducted himself and really impressed with his leadership," Wright said.

NZ's biggest test wins by innings

* Innings and 301 runsv Zimbabwe, Napier, Jan 28, 2012
* Innings and 294 runs v Zimbabwe, Harare, 2005
* Innings and 185 runsv Pakistan, Hamilton, 2001
* Innings and 137 runs v Bangladesh, Wellington 2008
* Innings and 132 runs v England, Christchurch, 1984
* Saturday was the third occasion a team has been bowled out twice in a day in a test, after India (58 and 82) against England in Manchester in 1952; and Zimbabwe (59 and 99) against New Zealand in Harare in 2005-06
* BJ Watling is the fifth designated New Zealand wicketkeeper to score a century in a test, after Brendon McCullum (five times), Ian Smith (twice) and Adam Parore and Warren Lees.