Taylor plucks final catch in last ODI as New Zealand sweep series against Netherlands

Hamilton, April 4

Ross Taylor scored only 14 runs in his final ODI match but more importantly pouched the catch to dismiss the final Netherlands batter and helped New Zealand romp to a 115-run victory and sweep the three-match series 3-0 here on Monday.

The Blackcaps rode on centuries by opener Martin Guptill (106 - 123b, 11x4, 2x6) and Will Young (120 - 112b, 6x4, 4x6) to post a mammoth 333/8 in their allotted 50 overs.

In reply, the Netherlands were bowled out for 218 in 42.3 overs, seamer Matt Henry claiming 4/36 at Seddon Park here.

New Zealand's sixth straight win in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League helped them leapfrog Pakistan to the eighth position on the virtue of a superior Net Run Rate (NRR). The Netherlands remain at the bottom of the 13-team table with 25 points from 10 games.

New Zealand consolidated their top position in the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings, while the Netherlands remain at the 14th spot, according to a report on the ICC website.

Stephan Myburgh began all guns blazing in Netherland's run-chase of 334, launching an early assault on the New Zealand new-ball pair of Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson. Playing his final ODI innings, the left-hander struck 64 off 43 in a brisk 81-run opening stand with Max O'Dowd, before falling to Colin de Grandhomme's gentle medium pace.

The visitors faltered thereafter, with Matt Henry bagging 4/36 in an innings that folded out for 218 in 42.3 overs. The winning moment fittingly belonged to Ross Taylor, who caught Aryan Dutt's mistimed pull at mid-wicket to draw curtains on a glorious 16-year-long career.

Earlier, Taylor managed 14 off 16 in his final outing, being dismissed caught and bowled by Logan van Beek. That was after Martin Guptill and Will Young's 203-run second-wicket stand laid the foundation for New Zealand's impressive first-innings effort of 333/8.

Guptill became the fourth New Zealand batter to complete 7,000 ODI runs during his 123-ball 106 - his 17th ODI ton, which now puts him second among New Zealanders after Taylor (21). Young registered his second hundred of the series, striking 120 off 112, which featured six hits to the fence and four over it.

Brief scores: New Zealand 333/8 in 50 overs (Martin Guptill 106, Will Young 120; Clayton Floyd 2/41, Aryan Dutt 2/49, Fred Klaassen 2/62) beat the Netherlands 218 all out in 42.3 overs (Stephan Myburgh 64, Logan van Beek 32; Matt Henry 4/36, Doug Bracewell 2/23) by 115 runs.