Photo galleryKEY POINTS:
GROS ISLET, St Lucia - New Zealand beat Canada by 114 runs in their final World Cup pool game this morning in a performance in which the Black Caps' batting far outshone their bowling.
Lou Vincent hinted at a welcome return to form after consecutive ducks against England
and Kenya with an impressive 101 off 117 balls as the Black Caps posted 363 for 5.
Brendon McCullum scored a half-century in just 20 balls. He smacked five sixes in his innings, a World Cup record for quickest 50, beating fellow wicketkeeper South African Mark Boucher's milestone by one ball.
His record looked in immediate danger as Canadian captain John Davison set about mauling New Zealand's opening bowling attack.
Davison, who holds the record for the fastest World Cup century, smacked 14 off Daryl Tuffey's first over at the World Cup.
He was even more severe on Michael Mason, stroking five boundaries -- including four in successive balls -- off Mason's second over.
Davison reached his half century in just 23 balls, but skied a return catch to Mason on 52.
Mason's first six overs yielded 49 runs, while Tuffey went for 40.
While spinners Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel were able to slow down the run rate, the Canadians showed plenty of pluck for the remainder of their innings.
Ian Billcliff, born in Canada but raised in New Zealand, scored a solid 50, while Geoff Barnett, who plays for Central Districts, hit 40.
Vettori took three for 57 off his 10 overs, while Patel took two wickets from the first two balls off his 10th over to finish with three for 25.
Vincent and Stepehen Fleming (66 off 67) set the tone for New Zealand's highest World Cup score with an opening stand of 142 in just over 20 overs.
New Zealand lost three wickets for 25 between the 39th and 43rd overs but McCullum's whirlwind 52 and Jacob Oram (35 off 27) ensured there was no respite for the Canadian attack as they plundered 85 off the final seven overs.
McCullum pounded five sixes and a boundary to also overtake Lance Cairns as the quickest Black Cap to post a half century.
Cairns took 21 balls against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in his legendary six assault in 1983.
New Zealand's total surpassed their previous record innings at World Cups -- the 331 for seven they scored against Kenya on Tuesday.
No Canadian bowler escaped the mauling with spinner Kevin Sandher recording the best figures of two for 58 off 10.
The New Zealanders now head to Antigua where they play the West Indies on March 29 -- the first of their six games in the Super Eights format to determine the semifinalists.
SCOREBOARD
New Zealand
L Vincent c and b Davison 101
S Fleming c Billcliff b Sandher 66
P Fulton lbw Sandher 47
S Styris c Bagai b Samad 28
C McMillan c Samad b Davison 10
J Oram not out 35
B McCullum not out 52
Extras (1b, 5lb, 17w, 1nb) 24
Total (for 5 wkts, 50 overs) 363
Fall: 142 (Fleming), 222 (Fulton), 253 (Styris), 266 (McMillan), 278 (Vincent)
Bowling: A Cummins 10-1-59-0 (1nb, 4w), U Bhatti 5.3-1-25-0 (3w), A Samad 2.3-0-31-1 (1w), H Osinde 4-0-45-0 (1w), K Sandher 10-0-58-2, J Davison 10-0-67-2 (2w), S Dhaniram 8-0-72-0.
Canada
J Davison c and b Mason 52
G Barnett c McCullum b Vettori 40
A Bagai b Vettori 37
I Billcliff b Styris 50
A Samad run out (Vincent) 9
A Mulla lbw b Vettori 0
S Dhaniram retired hurt 17
U Bhatti b Patel 10
A Cummins not out 9
K Sandher b Patel 2
H Osinde b Patel 0
Extras (4b, 5lb, 5w, 9nb) 23
Total: (for 9 wkts, 49.2 overs) 249
Fall: 76 (Davison), 110 (Barnett), 188 (Bagai), 201 (Billcliff), 206 (Mulla), 207 (Samad), 245 (Bhatti), 249 (Sandher), 249 (Osinde)
Bowling: D Tuffey 6-0-40-0 (1nb, 2w), M Mason 8-0-60-1 (4nb, 1w) J Oram 7-1-16-0 (1nb), J Patel 9.2-0-25-3, D Vettori 10-0-57-3 (2nb), S Styris 6-0-21-0 (2w), C McMillan 3-0-21-0.
Result: New Zealand win by 114 runs.
- NZPA, NZHERALD STAFF
