Opener Rod Nicol blasted 146 as New Zealand set Zimbabwe an imposing target of 373 for victory in the second one-day international in Whangarei on Monday.

After adding 131 for the first wicket with Martin Guptill, Nicol was joined at the crease by big-hitting allrounder Jacob Oram in a batting order shuffle after Guptill’s dismissal for 77 off 80 balls.

Oram responded in style, as he and Nicol piled on 44 runs in the next five overs, Oram particularly brutal on Ray Price and Shingirai Masakadza.

The 33-year-old Oram’s batting has taken lower priority recently, and he made the most of his promotion up the order, racking up 59 off 28 deliveries, including five fours and four towering sixes.

After being put down by Elton Chigumbura in the 31st over, Oram was finally dismissed two overs later when he skied a long hop from Hamilton Masakadza and Regis Chakabva took the regulation catch.

Nicol carried on after Oram’s demise, posting his second century in five ODIs for New Zealand, before falling in the 48th over after a 134 balls, 10 fours and six sixes.

Nicol put his disappointing duck from last Friday’s opening ODI well behind him, aided occasionally by some poor Zimbabwe fielding as he and Tom Latham put on 92 for the fifth wicket.

Latham, who looked promising in making 24 last Friday, racked up 48 from 28 balls before he was bowled by Shingirai Masakadza with just three balls remaining.

That left Dean Brownlie and Andrew Ellis to see New Zealand through, Ellis smacking Shingirai Masakadza’s last ball of the innings for six.