Date:29/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/29/stories/2008122955711500.htm

Sport - Cricket

Ryder, McCullum onslaught gets New Zealand home

HAMILTON: A 130-run onslaught by Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum led New Zealand to victory over the West Indies by 36 runs in their Twenty20 match here on Sunday.

Man-of-the-match Ryder posted 62 and McCullum 59 in a record Twenty20 stand for New Zealand. It came at a shade under 12 runs an over and ensured a formidable target as New Zealand reached 191 for nine, despite a meltdown after the opening stand ended.

When the West Indies looked to its talisman Chris Gayle to save the day — after he had dismissed both Ryder and McCullum — it found his usually dependable batting talents were absent.

He was out for one in the second over and the West Indies never came close to the required run rate, finishing at 155 for seven.

Decisive result

It was the first decisive result in the West Indies tour of New Zealand after the two Tests earlier in the month were drawn and the first Twenty20 went to a one-over tiebreaker, won by the West Indies.

End of losing streak

It also snapped New Zealand’s eight-game losing streak in Twenty20 fixtures.

The Seddon Park wicket has proved a happy hunting ground for the McCullum-Ryder pairing as they backed up from an unbroken 165-run stand in a one-day match against England here earlier this year.

The West Indies tour now moves to Queenstown for the first of five one-day internationals on Wednesday.

The scores: New Zealand 191 for nine in 20 overs (Jesse Ryder 62, Brendon McCullum 59, James Franklin 20; Jerome Taylor two for 29, Chris Gayle two for 27, Kieron Pollard two for 29) beat West Indies 155 for seven in 20 overs (Ramnaresh Sarwan 53, Kieron Pollard 38, Denesh Ramdin 30; Jeetan Patel two for 12). — Agencies