Cairns takes vital wicket as Kiwis force follow-on

New Zealand 465 Zimbabwe 166 & 6-1

New Zealand 465 Zimbabwe 166 & 6-1

New Zealand took command of the second Test on the third day as Zimbabwe's batting line-up collapsed and they were forced to follow on yesterday. The Kiwis had posted 465 in their first innings, thanks mainly to Chris Cairns' superb century, and the hosts were 6 for 1 at stumps, having been skittled for 166 in their first innings.

After Gavin Rennie had fallen to Cairns on Wednesday evening, Grant Flower and Stuart Carlisle steadied the ship and led their side to 76 for 1 in the morning. But Cairns made the breakthrough once again when he had Carlisle caught by Mathew Sinclair at third man. Alistair Campbell was snared for a duck by Shayne O'Connor, who finished the day with 3 for 43 off 28 overs, one run later - and Grant Flower was next to head back to the pavilion with the score on 118.

Flower fell one run short of his half-century when he lost patience and flashed outside the off stump to be caught by Adam Parore after 286 minutes at the crease. Grant's brother Andy continued to play his shots but lost Guy Whittall for nine just before tea.

The hosts were in trouble at 146 for 5, and the dismissal of Andy Flower - trapped lbw by Craig McMillan for 48 - sparked another flurry of wickets.

Zimbabwe slumped to 166, losing their last five wickets for 20 runs, and their misery was complete when O'Connor had Rennie caught by Craig Spearman for one before the close.

Scoreboard

Third day; New Zealand won toss

NEW ZEALAND - First Innings 465 (C L Cairns 124, Mark Richardson 99, N J Astle 86, D J Nash 62).

ZIMBABWE - First Innings

(Overnight: 31 for 1)

G W Flower c Parore b Astle 49 S V Carlisle c Sinclair b Cairns 31 A D R Campbell c Fleming B O'Connor 0 ÿA Flower lbw b McMillan 48 G J Whittall c Parore b Astle 9 *H H Streak c Wiseman b O'Connor 8 M L Nkala c Parore b McMillan 0 P A Strang c Parore b O'Connor 5 H K Olonga c Parore b Nash 4 M Mbangwa not out 0 Extras (b3 lb3 w1 nb1) 8

Total (92 overs) 166

Fall (cont): 2-76 3-77 4-118 5-146 6-151 7-151 8-157 9-164.

Bowling: Cairns 17.1-7-33-2; O'Connor 28-9-43-3; Nash 17-11-25-1; McMillan 12.5-2-29-2; Astle 14-9-22-2; Wiseman 3-0-8-0

Second innings

G W Flower not out 0 G J Rennie c Spearman b O'Connor 1 S V Carlisle not out 5

Total (for 1, 13 overs) 6

Fall: 1-1.

To bat: ÿA Flower, A D R Campbell, G J Whittall, *H H Streak, P A Strang, M L Nkala, M Mbangwa, H K Olonga.

Bowling (to date): O'Connor 6-5-4-1; Nash 4-3-1-0; McMillan 2-2-0-0; Astle 1-0-1-0

Umpires: I D Robinson (Zim) and D R Shepherd (Eng).