{
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    "title": "McCullum smashes World Cup half-century record",
    "lang": "en",
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    "cup_year": "2015",
    "article_type": "General",
    "excerpt": "Skipper Brendon McCullum blazed an 18-ball 50 -- the fastest ever half-century in a cricket World Cup match",
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    "editor1": "<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Wellington, Feb 20 (IANS) Skipper Brendon McCullum blazed an 18-ball 50 -- the fastest ever half-century in a cricket World Cup match - as New Zealand thrashed England by eight wickets here Friday.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">McCullum&#39;s innings came after pacer Tim Southee helped bowl out England for just 123 with the best ever ODI figures by a New Zealand player, taking 7-33 from nine overs at the Westpac Stadium.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">It was New Zealand&rsquo;s best bowling in a World Cup match and the third best by any bowler in the tournament&#39;s 11 editions.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">McCullum then launched a stunning assault, reaching his fifty from just 18 balls to help his team reach the target in just 12.2 overs.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">He was eventually dismissed for 77 from 25 balls, with eight fours and seven sixes.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">It was the third fastest fifty in One-Day International (ODI) history - two balls short of South African A.B. de Villiers&#39;s record of 16 - and the fastest ever by a New Zealander.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">McCullum eclipsed his own New Zealand record for the fastest ODI 50 - a 19-ball innings against Bangladesh in 2007 - and his own World Cup mark of 20 balls that he set against Canada in 2007.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">His rampage against England&#39;s bowlers included four consecutive sixes off the bowling of Steven Finn, with the England quick&#39;s second over going for 29 runs.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Friday&rsquo;s records:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">- Brendon McCullum reached his 50 from 18 deliveries, breaking the New Zealand (19 balls) and World Cup record for the fastest half-century, from just 18 balls. Amazingly, both those records had previously been held by McCullum.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">- McCullum and Martin Guptill combined to take 29 runs from one Steve Finn over - the third-most ever by a New Zealand pair in ODIs.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">- McCullum now has five ODI half-centuries from 21 balls or less - a number bettered only by Pakistani Shahid Afridi, with nine.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n",
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    "alt_img": "Brendon McCullum",
    "alt_title": "Brendon McCullum",
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    "created": "2015-02-20 10:34:00",
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