HARARE : Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor fought virtually a lone battle against New Zealand's bowlers in the first of two Twenty20 internationals at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.Taylor made 50 not out off 46 balls as Zimbabwe limped to 123 for eight in their 20 overs after being sent in.Zimbabwe were hit by the late withdrawals of two key players, experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Tatenda Taibu because of injury and batsman Vusi Sibanda, whose mother died early on Saturday.Tall seam bowler Kyle Mills struck two early blows for New Zealand, dismissing both opening batsmen inside the first five overs. Hamilton Masakadza holed out to mid-off after hitting Doug Bracewell for six in the previous over and Chabu Chibhabha edged an attempted drive to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.Taylor and Forster Mutizwa added 28 for the third wicket before Mutizwa was leg before to left-arm spinner Luke Woodcock. Malcolm Waller tried to lift the scoring rate, hitting off-spinner Nathan McCullum for six, but was caught at deep square leg in the same over.Charles Coventry also fell playing an ambitious shot against McCullum, caught at cover.Hopes of a late flurry were dashed as three wickets fell off the final seven balls of the innings.Mills finished with two for 15 and Nathan McCullum took two for 17 but with the exception of one over from James Franklin, which yielded ten runs, all New Zealand's bowlers proved difficult to score off.
