On a rain-interrupted evening at the 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) defeat in New Zealand via the DL method.
The three-match series will be decided on Sunday at the same venue, with both teams currently tied 1-1. It’s a scenario West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran could have happily accepted before the CG United series got underway – but they looked capable of turning proceedings in their favor before dinner at one stage today.
(Copyright Randy Brooks / AFP/ CWI Media)
After winning the toss and inviting New Zealand to bat, the Maroon men reduced their visitors to 167/8 after 41.2 overs despite an impressive knock from 23-year-old opener Finn Allen (96 off 117 balls, 7×4, 3×6 ).
Pacer Jason Holder took three of New Zealand’s first four wickets, while spinner Kevin Sinclair took four wickets and a catch. But Pooran may regret their late finish to the Kiwis as 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 collapsing to 27/6 inside 10 overs.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
Mayers’ last five matches with the white ball have contributed 14, 1, 4, 6 and nil with the bat and no runs with the ball respectively. Hardly anyone has done much better in the West Indies top order today: Shai Hope (16), Mayers (0), Shamarh Brooks (0), Brandon King (2), Keacy Carty (16) and Nicholas Pooran ( 2).
Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s 30-year-old Yannic Cariah wasn’t about to pass up his audition though, as he registered a half-century on his first turn with the bat and shared a nine-wicket partnership. West Indies record of 85. with Alzarri Joseph eclipsing the previous score 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 clever trick on the boundary by Allen off the bowling of Mitchell Santner.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
“I am very happy 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 little too late.
“A good stand among the top order could have brought us to victory.”
West Indies will get another chance to win just their second ODI series of the year on Sunday. New Zealand will not continue with that scenario willingly.
(Copyright Indian Express)
(Match Summary)
Throwing: West Indies
New Zealand 212 all out (48.2 overs) (Finn Allen 96Daryl Mitchell 41; Kevin Sinclair 4/41Jason Holder 3/24)
West Indies 161 all out (35.3 overs) (Yannic Cariah 52Alzarri Joseph 49; Tim Southee 4/22Trent Boult 3/18)
result: New Zealand win by 50 runs
The result of the series: 1-1
Man of the match: Find Allen
