29 Dec 2010

Blackcaps wrap up Twenty20 series with victory in Hamilton

7:50 am on 29 December 2010

Nathan McCullum took four wickets, including two in two balls, as New Zealand wrapped up a Twenty20 series victory over Pakistan with a 39-run win in the second match at Seddon Park.

Off-spinner McCullum, cleverly varied his pace, flight and angles to bamboozle the Pakistani batsmen, and finished with figures of 4-16 off his four overs and the man of the match award.

Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez had looked set to anchor the visitors' run chase of 186 for victory, racing through to 46 before Umar Akmal called him through for a second run, stopped mid-pitch, and left the 30-year-old stranded and glaring back at the youngster as Peter McGlashan removed the bails.

The Blackcaps opener Martin Guptill followed up his 54 in the first match on Sunday with 44 off just 28 balls and shared in a 91-run second wicket partnership with James Franklin (40), while Scott Styris smashed a blistering 34 from 14 balls.

Wicketkeeper McGlashan (26) provided some late excitement with his innovative batting producing 24 runs, including two reverse slaps for six.

Stand-in captain Ross Taylor finished on 30 not out while Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal finished with 3-35, which included two wickets in New Zealand's final over.

New Zealand won the first game in Auckland by five wickets, with the final match in the series scheduled for Thursday in Christchurch.