Pace bowler Geoff Allott entered the World Cup record books as New Zealand and Zimbabwe saw their second-round match stalled by bad weather at Headingley yesterday.

Kiwi left-armer Allott took three wickets to take his tally to 18, equalling the tournament record, as Zimbabwe were skittled for 175.

New Zealand reached 70 for three off 15 overs in reply before bad light cut short the day's play. The game will resume today.

Allott, a 27-year-old from Canterbury and one of the finds of the tournament, finished with three for 24 off 10 overs. Seamer Roger Binny took 18 wickets in 1983 when India won the trophy.

Zimbabwe struggled from the start of their rain-interrupted innings.

They slumped to 45 for three before a 91-run partnership between Murray Goodwin (57) and Campbell (40) rescued the African side.

But another collapse saw seven wickets fall for 39 runs. The Zimbabweans struck just one boundary in the last 14.3 overs.

Allott's first victim was the dangerous Neil Johnson, who cracked five boundaries off Dion Nash as he made 25 off 32 balls before being bowled, the ball rolling slowly onto his stumps off bat and pad.

Allott then had Andy Flower caught at point for nought. He also removed Gary Wittall.

All-rounder Chris Cairns grabbed three bottom-order wickets as he passed 100 one-day victims in his career.

In reply, New Zealand openers Matthew Horne and Nathan Astle, both struggling for form before yesterday's game, put on a half-century stand at a run a ball.

Astle, averaging 4.4 at this World Cup, and Horne, averaging under 11, smashed Heath Streak and Johnson out of the attack with a string of cover drives and pulls to the boundary.

But three wickets then fell for seven runs to make it 65 for three. Horne departed leg before, Astle followed, caught spectacularly by the diving Streak at extra cover off Henry Olonga, and Craig McMillan got half forward and went leg before to the returning Streak.