Sport - Cricket

Kiwis level series with big win

WELLINGTON: Ross Taylor and Daniel Flynn shared an unbeaten 89-run partnership to lead New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over the West Indies in the third ODI here on Wednesday.

Daniel Vettori took four for 20 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 owing to rain.

“I think it was probably set up by the bowlers,” 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 the bowlers.

New Zealand lost the openers for just 34 in reply, and slipped to 40 for three before Taylor and Flynn steered the host to victory. Taylor made 51 from 50 balls, hitting five boundaries and three sixes, and Flynn scored 23 from 34 balls.

Kyle Mills set the stage for the West Indies’ collapse, taking two for 12 in a superb opening spell of eight overs. He removed Xavier Marshall for a duck in the first over of the match.

Mills exposed the West Indies’ brittle middle-order and Vettori took full advantage, claiming four 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 off 77 deliveries.

A late flurry from Nikita Miller, who was undefeated on 25, 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 the warm and windy conditions. Mills bowled West Indies captain Chris Gayle for 18 in the ninth over, reducing the Caribbeans to 35 for three. 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 tottering at 74 for eight.

Chanderpaul survived until the 35th over when he fell to the first ball bowled by Ryder.

The West Indies was 101 for nine at that stage, 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. We didn’t bat out the overs so we’re very disappointed.”

Pollard was reprimanded by the International Cricket Council for damaging a dressing room door after his dismissal.

ICC match referee Javagal Srinath held a hearing after the match, where the 21-year-old Pollard pleaded guilty to damaging a glass door. — AP

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