Ross Taylor and Daniel Flynn shared an unbroken, 89-run partnership to lead New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over the West Indies in the third limited overs cricket international on Wednesday.
Daniel Vettori took four wickets for just 20 runs as New Zealand dismissed the West Indies for 128 in 41.4 overs, setting up a win which levelled the five match series 1-1 after the tourists’ five-wicket victory in the second match on Saturday. The first match was abandoned because of rain.
”I think it was probably set up by the bowlers first and foremost,” captain Vettori said. ”The wicket had a bit in it, but in the end it was a very comfortable victory and a very happy dressing room.”
The West Indies’ total, highlighted by a diligent innings of 45 by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, was always going to be inadequate, despite conditions which favoured bowlers.
New Zealand lost both openers for just 34 in reply, and slipped to 40-3 before Taylor and Flynn steered the hosts to the win. Taylor made 51 from 50 balls, hitting five boundaries and three sixes, and Flynn was 23 from 34 balls.
Kyle Mills set the stage for the West Indies’ collapse, taking 2-12 in a superb opening spell of eight overs including the dismissal of Xavier Marshall for a duck with the fourth ball of the match.
Mills exposed the tourists’ brittle middle order and Vettori took full advantage, claiming the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth wickets.
Chanderpaul joined the West Indies team for the first time in the five-match series after recovering from a hand injury and was the only specialist batsman to offer resistance, scoring his 45 from 77 balls.
A late flurry from Nikita Miller, who was 25 not out, and Fidel Edwards who contributed 13 to a last-wicket partnership of 27, added a little substance to the West Indies total.
Tim Southee dismissed Ramnaresh Sarwan for five as the New Zealand new ball pair exploited swing in warm and windy conditions.
Mills bowled West Indies captain Chris Gayle for 18 in the ninth over, reducing the tourists to 35-3, and Southee returned to bowl newcomer Shaun Findlay for eight.
Vettori then crashed through the middle and lower order, removing Denesh Ramdin (1), Kieron Pollard (1), Jerome Taylor (4) and Daren Powell (1) to leave the West Indies 74-8.
Chanderpaul survived until the 35th over when he fell to the first ball of Jesse Ryder’s first over.
The West Indies were then 101-9, but some heavy hitting from Miller and Edwards delayed the end until the 42nd over.
”We’re very disappointed with the way we batted but, having said that, we have to give credit to the New Zealand bowlers,” Gayle said.
”They used the pitch well but, having said that, there were no demons in wicket. We didn’t bat out the overs so we’re very disappointed.” — Sapa-AP