HARARE: Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson continued their record-breaking run of form to effortlessly guide New Zealand to a formidable score in the first one-day international against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
The pair added 137 for the third wicket -- their fourth consecutive century stand in ODIs -- as New Zealand posted 303 for four after being put into bat by Zimbabwe.
Taylor finished unbeaten on 112, his third ODI hundred in five matches and his 15th overall, and although Williamson missed out on an eighth ODI century, his controlled 97 was his fifth straight score above fifty in the format.
Williamson has now scored 1134 ODI runs in 2015 - the most by a New Zealand batsman in a calendar year - and sits top of the ODI run-scoring charts this year.
Taylor is second on the list for 2015 with 1041 runs, having helped himself to 59 runs in the final 10 overs as New Zealand moved from 188 for three to their final score.
Zimbabwe started well enough, removing New Zealand openers Martin Guptill and Tom Latham in the opening 10 overs, but their inability to make further breakthroughs left them exposed.
After Williamson and Taylor had recorded their 10th century stand in ODIs - the most by a New Zealand pair - Grant Elliott added 43 from just 32 deliveries.
Although Elliott was run out attempting an unlikely second run, Taylor made sure that New Zealand, who were playing the first ODI under the name of Aotearoa to celebrate Maori Language Week, finished strongly.
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