Friday Dec 13, 2024
Friday Dec 13, 2024
Friday, 13 July 2012 04:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
REUTERS: New Zealand bowled out West Indies for just 161 to earn an 88 run win, their first victory on their tour of the Caribbean, in the third one day international in St.Kitts on Wednesday.
After suffering defeats in the two Twenty20 internationals in Florida and then the opening two one-dayers, the Black Caps needed a win to keep alive their hopes in the five game ODI series.
Half-centuries from opener Rob Nicol and Nathan McCullum helped the tourists to 249 for nine from their allotted 50 overs.
That total looked to be modest on a flat track at Warner Park with the short boundary an inviting one for the big-hitting West Indies batting line-up.
New Zealand’s injury problems on the tour continued with wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling having to be replaced behind the stumps by Tom Latham after suffering a leg injury while running during his innings.
But West Indies never recovered after losing their opening pair of Johnson Charles (15) and Chris Gayle (11) cheaply as New Zealand’s bowlers stuck to their task.
Gayle, who had struck 125 and 63 in the two games in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, was caught by Nicol at slip off Tim Southee’s medium pace after Charles had been trapped lbw by ODI debutant Trent Boult.
The heart of the West Indies top order then self-destructed with Dwayne Bravo run out trying to make an improbable third and Marlon Samuels dismissed in the same fashion via some oustanding work from Martin Guptill.
The two run outs left West Indies at 62 for five and the pressure on their middle order but Kieron Pollard’s ill-advised slog over mid-wicket was pocketed by substitute Dean Brownlie and when skipper Darren Sammy was caught and bowled by McCullum (7) the home side were in deep trouble at 95 for seven.
An unbeaten 42 from 40 balls from Andre Russell came too as the Caribbean side offered a glimmer of hope to New Zealand in the series.
