Openers Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum blazed half centuries but New Zealand’s middle order wasted the great start as the hosts reached 191 for nine in the second Twenty20 international against West Indies on Sunday.
Ryder (62) and McCullum (59) smashed the West Indies attack all over the small Seddon Park ground in Hamilton to give New Zealand a 130-run opening partnership, two days after they lost the first match at Auckland in a super over eliminator.
Wicketkeeper McCullum was the more aggressive of the two bringing up his 50, which included six boundaries and three sixes, off 28 balls before Ryder began to open up.
The solid lefthander, who was dropped twice, brought up his half century off 30 balls shortly afterwards when he smashed four boundaries in six balls and the pair completed their century partnership in the 10th over.
However, once McCullum was well caught low down at extra cover by Shivnarine Chanderpaul off the bowling of West Indies captain Chris Gayle two overs later, New Zealand fell apart.
Ross Taylor, who scored 63 in the first game at Eden Park on Friday, was brilliantly caught by Xavier Marshall on the boundary for six off Kieron Pollard.
Marshall sprinted around the mid-wicket boundary and flung himself full stretch to take a diving catch, that also prevented a certain six runs.
Ryder was dismissed three balls later when he was caught at long on by Ramnaresh Sarwan after he toe-ended a Gayle delivery while attempting to hit another six to leave New Zealand at 142-3 in the 14th over.
New Zealand then limped through their final overs with only James Franklin, who smashed two sixes and a boundary off Sulieman Benn to move to 20 before he was caught by Shawn Findlay, the only other batsman to reach double figures.
Gayle, Jerome Taylor and Pollard took two wickets each, though West Indies were let down with some poor catching and ground fielding and wayward bowling that produced 12 byes and five wides. – Reuters