Cairns had a good day with bat and ball
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New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns said beating Zimbabwe had given the Black Caps a huge chance of making the World Cup semi-finals.
Cairns said the team had pin-pointed the match as a must-win game and they did the job, beating Zimbabwe comfortably by six wickets in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
They now face defending champions Australia on Tuesday and India on Friday.
Cairns said: "We identified the fact we need two wins out of the three games to go through.
"We have got a big match next against the Australians.
"They are playing very, very well so we are going to have to be at the top of our game."
Cairns, who hit 54 and took two wickets for 16 runs, said he was pleased to put in a good performance with both bat and ball.
He said: "It's been a while coming but it's nice to be getting the rewards for a lot of hard work in practise.
"It was nice to be back in the bowling crease."
He also praised Nathan Astle, who hit his 13th one-day century.
New Zealand had wobbled when 97 for three but Astle and Cairns put on a 121-run partnership to guide them to a workmanlike win.
Cairns said: "It was crucial for us to have a partnership and Nathan and myself managed to do that in the middle of the innings.
"Nathan played superbly well for his hundred."
Captain Stephen Fleming said Zimbabwe had given them a fright when the final three overs had gone for 62.
He said: "In the end it was comfortable
but at half-time it was 50-50.
"I was disappointed with the way we finished.
"Sixty from three overs is not
ideal and we have got work on that."
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