Zimbabwe stun Sri Lanka, New Zealand thrash South Africa in World Cup warm-up ties
Sydney: New Zealand hammered home their status as World Cup dark horses with an emphatic 134-run warm-up win over South Africa on Wednesday while whipping boys Zimbabwe stunned Sri Lanka by seven wickets.
Just three days out from the start of the marathon six-week event, both South Africa -- who rested match-winners Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn -- and Sri Lanka looked lacklustre.
In Christchurch, Kane Williamson top-scored with a 53-ball 66, dotted with nine fours. Skipper Brendan McCullum smashed a typically muscular 59 off 45 balls with seven fours and a six.
Their efforts lifted the home side to an impressive 331-8 in 50 overs.
Seamers Vernon Philander, Wayne Parnell and Kyle Abbott all took two wickets each but strike bowler Morne Morkel went wicketless, conceding 31 runs off seven overs.
New Zealand pace bowler Trent Boult showed the vaunted Proteas attack how to make the most of the conditions at the Hagley Oval with the 22-year-old returning 5-51 off 9.2 overs.
It could have been more embarrassing for South Africa but JP Duminy (80 not out) and Philander (57) lifted their side from 62-6 with a 121-run seventh-wicket stand, which put a little gloss on the gloomy picture.
"We are not too fazed about the result. It's about time in the middle, and overs under the belt," said Duminy after his team were bowled out for a paltry 197.
Come Sunday, when South Africa face Zimbabwe in their first pool match at Hamilton, "we will be ready to go -- we won't read too much into this", he insisted.
"Everybody got a bit out of it. It's nice to take wins but we are happy with where we are."
Boult said the game helped his chances of selection for a starting spot on Saturday when New Zealand open their World Cup campaign at home to 1996 champions Sri Lanka.
"There's a good amount of competition amongst us bowlers. I enjoyed today, it was coming out well at both ends of the wicket," said Boult.
"We wanted to get the most out of the opportunity."
Zimbabwe warmed up for Sunday's clash against South Africa with a shock seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Lincoln.
Sri Lanka, who were also World Cup runners-up in 2007 and 2011, posted a challenging 279-8 in 50 overs with Dimuth Karunaratne top-scoring on 58 and Jeevan Mendis making 51.
Slow left-arm bowler Sean Williams helped apply the brakes with 3-35 in 10 overs.
In reply, Hamilton Masakadza smashed 117 not out at almost a run-a-ball with eight fours and three sixes.
He and skipper Brendan Taylor (63) put on 127 for the third wicket before Masakadza and Williams (51 not out) added an undefeated 119 for the fourth.
Sri Lanka used nine bowlers but could still not make significant inroads.
Zimbabwe's run chase was so easy that there were still 28 balls left when they hit the winning runs.
Clarke in the runs in World Cup warm-up:
Michael Clarke gave a pointer to his recovery from recent hamstring surgery with a knock of 64 in Australia's World Cup warm-up game against the United Arab Emirates in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Clarke, captaining Australia for the first time since the surgery almost two months ago, spent just over 90 minutes at the crease in a confidence-booster at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The 33-year-old was promoted to opener to maximise his time in the middle, and offered a sharp chance on two after winning the toss.
He steadied and kept the scoreboard ticking over in a 123-run partnership with Aaron Finch.
National selectors will now assess Clarke on Thursday before considering the merits of an earlier-than-expected recall for Saturday's World Cup opener against England at the MCG.
"We'll sum it up tomorrow, see how he pulls up more than anything," coach Darren Lehmann told Fox Sports, issuing a guarded prognosis for when Clarke will return.
"Probably the fielding is going to be the big thing.
"He's been batting really well for the last couple of weeks, so no dramas there.
"We'll see how he goes in the field, but we're really pleased with that start and he's been really confident."
Chief selector Rod Marsh nominated February 21, when Australia face Bangladesh, as Clarke's final fitness deadline, with the skipper to be dropped from the squad if he is not up to scratch by then.
Clarke was initially given little hope of making the deadline, but he has exceeded expectations in his recovery.
"He played really well," Lehmann said of the side's top-scorer.
Lehmann and fellow selectors would have had limited interest in Clarke's eight boundaries, more so his running between the wickets.
There was no sharp acceleration or turns, and the right-hander looked to be running within himself at times.
But Clarke managed an all-run four and followed it up with a quick single, suggesting he is shaping up well for the World Cup.
