Cricket: Nicol's unbeaten 108 shows how ODI series can be wrapped up

Rob Nicol has waited a long time for his opportunity and when it came he grabbed it at Harare yesterday.

Aucklander Nicol, now playing for Canterbury, hit an unbeaten 108 to steer New Zealand to an easy nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the first of their three ODIs. New Zealand can wrap up the series at the same venue tonight.

Nicol, who has played three T20 internationals, took advantage of the chance to open the New Zealand innings with in-form Martin Guptill as New Zealand chased Zimbabwe's 231 for six, and got there with six overs to spare.

By coincidence, Guptill is the only other New Zealand batsman to have made a century on his ODI debut and will have been kicking himself after plonking a long hop straight to a fielder at long on when on 74 and sailing towards three figures.

Their stand of 153 means New Zealand have now put up century opening partnerships in all three tour games.

This was Nicol's day, however. Having made 102 for Mashonaland last weekend, filling in as an overseas player, he took advantage of sloppy Zimbabwe bowling, where they failed to find a tight line and strayed either side of the stumps.

Nicol scored 87 of his runs on the leg side, used his feet intelligently and worked the ball around the park.

"It was an awesome day. I'm pretty proud," Nicol said. His captain Ross Taylor dubbed it a "fantastic" innings.

Brendon McCullum helped finish the job at No 3, and the innings offered an interesting thought on whether there is mileage in reworking the order to add length to it.

Earlier Zimbabwe captain Brendon Taylor rescued his side from a parlous 21 for four with his fifth ODI century, an unbeaten 128.

Zimbabwe's top order got into trouble against Doug Bracewell, also on ODI debut, with a lack of foot movement. However Taylor and Forster Mutizwa put on 156 for the fifth wicket to at least put some substance into the innings.

"We need to pick our game up. We can learn a lot from New Zealand but we are a better side than this," Brendon Taylor said.

Jobs of work tonight for New Zealand? Rectifying some average bowling and fielding episodes from yesterday.

* India took an unbeatable 3-0 lead over England when they won the third game of their five-match ODI series at Mohali. England made 298 for four - Jonathan Trott and Samit Patel hitting 98 not out and 70 not out respectively.

However India reached 300 for five with four balls to spare, opener Ajinkya Rahane making 91 and Gautam Gambhir 58.

* Taufeeq Umar's 236 helped Pakistan to 511 for six and a big lead over Sri Lanka in their first test in Abu Dhabi. After three days, Sri Lanka were 47 for one in their second innings, still 267 behind Pakistan.