Cricket: McMillan, McCullum lift NZ from collapse

PROGRESS REPORT - BREAK BETWEEN INNINGS

Some late resistance from Craig McMillan and Brendon McCullum saved New Zealand's blushes as they posted 215 batting first in the tri-series cricket match against India in Bulawayo tonight (NZ time).

McMillan scored 54 and McCullum was last out for 49 after New Zealand, who opted to bat first, slumped to 36 for five against some accurate swing bowling from left-armers Irfan Pathan and Ashish Nehra.

McMillan began the fightback with a belligerent innings of 54 off 54 balls in a stand of 91 for the sixth wicket with Jacob Oram who scored 36.

Just when the pair had New Zealand back in the match at 127 for five, Oram was run out in a needless mix-up and McMillan departed in the next over when caught off a leading edge.

His run a ball innings included five fours and two sixes.

It was left to McCullum to help New Zealand stagger past 200.

The wicketkeeper cracked 49 off 39 balls before he was caught on the boundary off the first ball of the 44th over.

Pathan had the best figures of three for 34 while Nehra took two for 22 off eight overs.

New Zealand set the early pace in the tri-series with a 192-run victory over Zimbabwe at the same venue on Wednesday after plundering 397 for five.

- NZPA