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Black Caps sweep Canada aside

Brendon McCullum scored the fastest-ever World Cup 50 and Lou Vincent added 101 to guide New Zealand to a 114 run-win over Canada on Thursday and a sweep of Group C.

New Zealand reached its highest World Cup total of 363 for five after being sent into bat. Canada was already eliminated but got off to a blistering start, faltering once John Davison (53) fell.

Still, it frustrated New Zealand's bowlers to set its own World Cup high of 249 all out in coach Andy Pick's last game.

By the 48th over, New Zealand had surpassed its previous best World Cup total of 331, set two days ago against Kenya.

Brendon McCullum, batting at No. 7, reached his 50 off 20 balls -- one ball faster than Mark Boucher's effort against the Netherlands last week.

McCullum slogged five sixes and one four for an 85-run sixth-wicket partnership with Jacob Oram (not out 35).

Not to be outdone, Davison punished the opening attack of Daryl Tuffey and Michael Mason, exploiting the powerplay overs to reach his 50 in 23 balls -- the joint third-fastest in World Cup history.

Davison added three more runs before he skied a Mason delivery and the bowler took a few steps to catch it. He faced 31 balls and hit four boundaries and a six.

Davison, who four years ago recorded the fastest ever World Cup century, had only made eight and 21 in Canada's two previous innings.

But when he left, so did Canada's momentum. Geoff Barnett, who plays first-class cricket in New Zealand, made 40 and shared a 76-run opening stand with Davison before he was the first of Daniel Vettori's (3-57) three dismissals.

Another of Canada's New Zealand residents, Ian Billcliff, reached his fourth ODI 50 before he was bowled by Styris and his dismissal triggered a mini-collapse, with Abdool Samad (9) and Ashif Mulla (0) all falling within the space of four balls to be 207 for six. Jeetan Patel cleaned up the tail, taking 3-25.

New Zealand opener Vincent had failed to score in his first two innings in St. Lucia, but scored his first World Cup runs in the Caribbean with a six to midwicket. He then belted nine fours and a six to reach his third one-day hundred in his 97th ODI. Two balls later, he was caught and bowled by Davison (2-67) for 101.

Stephen Fleming (66) hit eight boundaries and a six before he was caught low at short midwicket by Barnett. Peter Fulton fell three runs shy of 50 when he was trapped leg-before-wicket off Kevin Sandher (2-58) after adding 80 runs with Vincent.

New Zealand rested fast bowlers Shane Bond and James Franklin, while batsman Ross Taylor was recovering from a hamstring strain.

School children again made up the majority of the crowd, which only took up a third of the 20,000-seat stadium.

At St. Kitts, a 103-run stand between Ryan Ten Doeschate (70 not out) and Baz Zuiderent (43 not out) led the Netherlands to victory after Billy Stelling's three wickets restricted Scotland to 136.

"We can leave the tournament with our heads up," Dutch replacement skipper Jeroen Smits said. "We lost badly twice against Australia and South Africa and we did well today. We showed the world that we can play cricket."
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