McCullum makes hay with rapid ton
Brendon McCullum reached his ton from just 83 balls at New Road © Getty Images
Brendon McCullum hammered an 83-ball century as New Zealand warmed up for the forthcoming one-day battles with England by overcoming Worcestershire by 95 runs at New Road.
Wicketkeeper-batsman McCullum smashed 123 off 98 deliveries, including three sixes and 12 fours, as the Kiwis amassed 358 for eight in their 50 overs.
The total fell just short of the record 50-over score on the ground of 365 for seven made by Worcestershire against Scotland in the Friends Provident Trophy last summer.
All-rounder Scott Styris then disposed of the Worcestershire middle order with a three-wicket blast as the home side were dismissed for 263 in 48 overs.
It was just the tonic coach John Bracewell’s side were looking for after their 2-0 Test series loss to England before the Twenty20 and limited-overs international meetings.
Openers Jamie How and McCullum set the tone of the innings by plundering 101 off only 15 overs after skipper Daniel Vettori had elected to bat upon winning the toss.
Former Middlesex seamer Chris Whelan temporarily pegged back the tourists by striking in successive overs.
Whelan made the first breakthrough when How (48) miscued straight to Worcestershire skipper Solanki at mid-on and was also the successful bowler when Peter Fulton drove to vice-captain Gareth Batty at point.
But New Zealand continued to score at a rapid rate and McCullum found another willing ally in Ross Taylor as the pair plundered 142 in 20 overs for the third wicket.
McCullum reached a splendid hundred off 83 balls with nine fours and two sixes out of 216 for two in the 34th over.
He eventually provided Whelan with a third victim when he holed out on 123 to Gareth Andrew on the midwicket boundary and left the ground to a standing ovation.
Ross Taylor hit an attractive 75 for New Zealand
Taylor went on to make 75 off 71 balls with nine fours before heaving across the line and being bowled by Daryl Mitchell.
Styris (36) and Jacob Oram (24) ensured the momentum was maintained before a late flurry of wickets - including a fourth for Andrew who finished with 4-78 from his 10 overs.
Worcestershire openers Solanki and Stephen Davies made a positive start in pursuit of their daunting target and put on 98 in only 18 overs.
But the run-out of Davies (48) after a mix-up with his county skipper started a collapse which ensured New Zealand would enjoy a comfortable success.
Moeen Ali was undone by the arm ball of Jeetan Patel - who had been hit for six by both Solanki and Davies - trapped lbw for a duck.
Stephen Moore also departed for nought after being adjudged lbw to a delivery from Styris which kept low. Then Graeme Hick pushed forward to Styris and was caught behind by McCullum.
The McCullum-Styris combination also accounted for Mitchell, and at that juncture Worcestershire had lost five wickets for 29 runs in the space of eight overs.
Gareth Batty (34) helped Solanki add 50 before top-edging Mark Gillespie to mid on. Solanki looked on course for a century but, after making 80 from 98 balls with nine fours and a six, he lofted a full toss from Vettori to Mark Gillespie at long on.
Kabir Ali (43) provided some late entertainment before New Zealand but the game to bed.
