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On a rain-interrupted evening at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, the West Indies cricket team produced a Jekyll and Hyde performance en route to a 50 run One-Day International (ODI) loss to New Zealand, via the D-L method.
The three-match series will be decided on Sunday at the same venue, with both teams tied 1-1 at present. It is a scenario that West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran might have gleefully accepted before the CG United series got underway—but they looked capable of wrapping proceedings up in their favour before dinnertime at one stage today.
(Copyright Randy Brooks / AFP/ CWI Media)
Having won the toss and invited New Zealand to bat, the Maroon Men pegged their visitors back at 167/8 after 41.2 overs—despite an impressive knock by 23-year-old opener Finn Allen (96 off 117 balls, 7×4, 3×6).
Pacer Jason Holder accounted for three of New Zealand’s first four wickets while spinner Kevin Sinclair took four wickets and a catch. But Pooran might regret their delay in finishing off the “Kiwis”, as the West Indies conceded 45 runs in their last seven overs.
The hosts were soon struggling for runs themselves, as they lost Kyle Mayers with just three runs on the board (two of them, wides) before crumbling to 27/6 within 10 overs.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
Mayers’ last five white-ball innings have contributed 14, 1, 4, 6 and zero respectively with the bat and no wickets with the ball. Scarcely anyone did much better in West Indies’ top order today: Shai Hope (16), Mayers (0), Shamarh Brooks (0), Brandon King (2), Keacy Carty (16), and Nicholas Pooran (2).
Yannic Cariah, a 30-year-old Trinidad and Tobago Red Force allrounder, had no intention of fluffing his audition though, as he registered a half-century in his first turn with the bat and shared a West Indies record ninth wicket partnership of 85 with Alzarri Joseph—which eclipsed the previous mark of 77 by Ramnaresh Sarwan and Ian Bradshaw against New Zealand in Christchurch.
Cariah was the last man out for the hosts on 52, caught by a smart bit of juggling at the boundary by Allen off the bowling of Mitchell Santner.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
“I’m very pleased with the bowling—they have been disciplined and consistent,” said Pooran. “I’m disappointed with the powerplay wickets. Cariah and Joseph’s partnership was a bit too late.
“One good stand among the top order could have brought us to the win.”
West Indies will have another chance to win only their second ODI series of the year on Sunday. New Zealand will not go along with that script willingly.
(Copyright Indian Express)
(Match summary)
Toss: West Indies
New Zealand 212 all out (48.2 overs) (Finn Allen 96, Daryl Mitchell 41; Kevin Sinclair 4/41, Jason Holder 3/24)
West Indies 161 all out (35.3 overs) (Yannic Cariah 52, Alzarri Joseph 49; Tim Southee 4/22, Trent Boult 3/18)
Result: New Zealand win by 50 runs
Series result: 1-1
Man of the Match: Finn Allen
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