268/3 (48.5)
CR : 5.49
267/10 (49.5)
CR : 5.36
West Indies won by 7 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Keacy Carty
95(112)
48.5
6
Matthew John Fisher to Sherfane Rutherford
SIX! THAT'S THAT! SHERFANE RUTHERFORD FINISHES IT OFF IN STYLE! Full and angling in at 134.4 kph, Rutherford powers it down the ground for a maximum. This seals a 7-wicket win to take a 1-0 lead in this 5-match ODI series against New Zealand!
Over 49
West Indies 268/3
Sherfane Rutherford22(16)
Shai Hope87(92)
Matthew John Fisher0-51(9.5)
WI won by 7 wickets
07:53 AM IST, 10:23 PM Local Time: It is yet another chasing win for the West Indies as they start this 5-match ODI series with a comfortable seven-wicket victory. Keacy Carty with 95 (112) and Shai Hope's 87 (92) made the bulk of the contribution for the West Indies while Sherfane Rutherford also finished off the game with a handy unbeaten 16-ball 22-run cameo.
Chasing 268 for victory, the West Indies seemed to be getting a decent start until a Jacob Duffy short delivery undid John Campbell who miscued his pull shot behind square with Nathan Smith taking a fine catch. Ackeem Auguste was joined by Keacy Carty in the middle and the pair helped the West Indies get to 51/1 in the Powerplay and batted beyond that as well. Auguste had his moment of fortune early in Jayden Lennox's spell as New Zealand failed to take an LBW review with ball-tracking going onto show three reds.
It was still Lennox who eventually had Auguste caught-behind for 38 (58) in the 19th over. From there on, there wasn't much to rejoice for New Zealand as Carty went onto register his 5th ODI fifty while Shai Hope also didn't spare any remotely bad delivery from Lennox. Hope and Carty went onto stitch a 100-run stand as well with Hope reaching his 32nd half-century. Meanwhile, Carty did have a small share of fortune too as he survived an umpire's call verdict on DRS and then almost got hit-wicket but the third umpire ruled that Carty had finished the shot when he made contact with the bails.
However, he remained crucial to the innings as even when the West Indies' scoring rate came down a touch, Carty ensured it didn't go out of reach with timely boundaries. However, he fell just five short of what would have been a fantastic century with Nathan Smith taking a cracking catch at deep mid-wicket off Michael Bracewell's bowling. The equation came down to 37 off 30 balls when Hope struck a maximum and Rutherford produced a boundary off Michael Bracewell's bowling to ease whatever little pressure there was. Eventually, both the batters struck a six each in the 49th over Matthew Fisher's bowling to wrap up the match with seven balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, the New Zealand opening duo of Henry Nicholls and Will Young gave a decent platform with their 80-run opening stand. The West Indies found their opening breakthrough at the end of the 16th over when Nicholls heaved a short delivery from 19-yr debutant Vitel Lawes to Khary Pierre at short mid-wicket. Then, Gudakesh Motie had Will Young caught and bowled for 49 while Lawes struck again to have Mark Chapman stumped.
New Zealand needed to rebuild and they did through the duo of Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell. Latham failed to convert his start though as Khary Pierre trapped him in front for 25 in the 33rd over. Thereafter, Mitchell joined forces with Michael Bracewell for a 65-run partnership which set-up New Zealand for a potential total around 280. The West Indies needed to make a comeback and it was Lawes who produced the breakthrough once again by dismissing Bracewell. Gudakesh Motie got rid of Jacob Duffy while Alzarri got the better of Nathan Smith, Mitchell Santner and Matt Fisher which helped the West Indies bowl out New Zealand for 267 with a ball left in the innings.
Chasing 268 for victory, the West Indies seemed to be getting a decent start until a Jacob Duffy short delivery undid John Campbell who miscued his pull shot behind square with Nathan Smith taking a fine catch. Ackeem Auguste was joined by Keacy Carty in the middle and the pair helped the West Indies get to 51/1 in the Powerplay and batted beyond that as well. Auguste had his moment of fortune early in Jayden Lennox's spell as New Zealand failed to take an LBW review with ball-tracking going onto show three reds.
It was still Lennox who eventually had Auguste caught-behind for 38 (58) in the 19th over. From there on, there wasn't much to rejoice for New Zealand as Carty went onto register his 5th ODI fifty while Shai Hope also didn't spare any remotely bad delivery from Lennox. Hope and Carty went onto stitch a 100-run stand as well with Hope reaching his 32nd half-century. Meanwhile, Carty did have a small share of fortune too as he survived an umpire's call verdict on DRS and then almost got hit-wicket but the third umpire ruled that Carty had finished the shot when he made contact with the bails.
However, he remained crucial to the innings as even when the West Indies' scoring rate came down a touch, Carty ensured it didn't go out of reach with timely boundaries. However, he fell just five short of what would have been a fantastic century with Nathan Smith taking a cracking catch at deep mid-wicket off Michael Bracewell's bowling. The equation came down to 37 off 30 balls when Hope struck a maximum and Rutherford produced a boundary off Michael Bracewell's bowling to ease whatever little pressure there was. Eventually, both the batters struck a six each in the 49th over Matthew Fisher's bowling to wrap up the match with seven balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, the New Zealand opening duo of Henry Nicholls and Will Young gave a decent platform with their 80-run opening stand. The West Indies found their opening breakthrough at the end of the 16th over when Nicholls heaved a short delivery from 19-yr debutant Vitel Lawes to Khary Pierre at short mid-wicket. Then, Gudakesh Motie had Will Young caught and bowled for 49 while Lawes struck again to have Mark Chapman stumped.
New Zealand needed to rebuild and they did through the duo of Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell. Latham failed to convert his start though as Khary Pierre trapped him in front for 25 in the 33rd over. Thereafter, Mitchell joined forces with Michael Bracewell for a 65-run partnership which set-up New Zealand for a potential total around 280. The West Indies needed to make a comeback and it was Lawes who produced the breakthrough once again by dismissing Bracewell. Gudakesh Motie got rid of Jacob Duffy while Alzarri got the better of Nathan Smith, Mitchell Santner and Matt Fisher which helped the West Indies bowl out New Zealand for 267 with a ball left in the innings.
Time for the Post-match Presentation!
Keacy Carty has been named as the 'Player of the Match'.
Keacy Carty (Player of the Match): "[On his knock] Well, I was able to contribute and West Indies got over the line, that is most important.
[Scoring his fifty in 12 ODI innings] Thankful to be back in the runs. Had a drought and I went back to the drawing board, lucky things worked out for me tonight.
[Reason for the struggle] Different conditions. Playing in New Zealand was a very difficult task for the top-order batters. You have highs and lows, just keep coming back again and again.
[About today's conditions] It was a slow, low pitch. We asked for a spin bowling pitch against a fast bowling team. I had a decent start but then slowed down which happens. Sometimes, you are in control and sometimes you are not but have to wait till you get it back.
[Partnership with Shai Hope] Definitely, I would say when he came in, he was flowing. He was going at over 100 SR, that helped me and then it flipped later on, so it worked out."
[Scoring his fifty in 12 ODI innings] Thankful to be back in the runs. Had a drought and I went back to the drawing board, lucky things worked out for me tonight.
[Reason for the struggle] Different conditions. Playing in New Zealand was a very difficult task for the top-order batters. You have highs and lows, just keep coming back again and again.
[About today's conditions] It was a slow, low pitch. We asked for a spin bowling pitch against a fast bowling team. I had a decent start but then slowed down which happens. Sometimes, you are in control and sometimes you are not but have to wait till you get it back.
[Partnership with Shai Hope] Definitely, I would say when he came in, he was flowing. He was going at over 100 SR, that helped me and then it flipped later on, so it worked out."
Mitchell Santner (New Zealand Captain): "[About the result] It was a close game, a good game. Was a challenging wicket, a slow pitch.
We were probably on track for 280 but their spinners bowled well and then Alzarri as well. It was a clinical chase from them as well.
[Not going big after getting starts] Everytime you get in, you want to take it deep. It was a challenging wicket. There was spin and it was up and down as well.
[Value of partnerships] Any kind of partnership is valuable. Keacy Carty and Shai Hope's partnership controlled the innings. If we got a couple of wickets, we would have been in the game.
[Where the conditions different in both the innings?] Was slower when we batted. With the dew and under lights, maybe came on better under lights. It was fantastic batting from them."
We were probably on track for 280 but their spinners bowled well and then Alzarri as well. It was a clinical chase from them as well.
[Not going big after getting starts] Everytime you get in, you want to take it deep. It was a challenging wicket. There was spin and it was up and down as well.
[Value of partnerships] Any kind of partnership is valuable. Keacy Carty and Shai Hope's partnership controlled the innings. If we got a couple of wickets, we would have been in the game.
[Where the conditions different in both the innings?] Was slower when we batted. With the dew and under lights, maybe came on better under lights. It was fantastic batting from them."
Shai Hope (West Indies Captain): "[Some pressure eased off in terms of direct WC qualification] We are still a long way away but you have to start somewhere.
[What he liked about the win?] We had a lot of injuries but the guys put their hands up. It is never easy batting in these conditions. Credit to Keacy for controlling the innings. He wasn't scoring the runs that he would have wanted to.
[On Vitel Lawes' spell] Truly commendable. Was nervous initially but he is supposed to have those nerves. Was great to see him express himself. By the 4th-5th over, he was really into the groove. His bowling type is something we lack in the Caribbean. Hopefully, this gives him confidence.
[His stand with Keacy Carty] Partnerships are very important. In Guyana, it is very difficult to start. When you are set, you have to capitalize.
[How he is so consistent across conditions] Trying to do what I need to. Have to play as late as possible and as low as possible. I just try to find the perfect recipe to bat on a particular pitch.
[Did the conditions change in the second innings?] I don't think it changed much, maybe skidded on a bit more. If I have to be critical, it got a little bit better."
[What he liked about the win?] We had a lot of injuries but the guys put their hands up. It is never easy batting in these conditions. Credit to Keacy for controlling the innings. He wasn't scoring the runs that he would have wanted to.
[On Vitel Lawes' spell] Truly commendable. Was nervous initially but he is supposed to have those nerves. Was great to see him express himself. By the 4th-5th over, he was really into the groove. His bowling type is something we lack in the Caribbean. Hopefully, this gives him confidence.
[His stand with Keacy Carty] Partnerships are very important. In Guyana, it is very difficult to start. When you are set, you have to capitalize.
[How he is so consistent across conditions] Trying to do what I need to. Have to play as late as possible and as low as possible. I just try to find the perfect recipe to bat on a particular pitch.
[Did the conditions change in the second innings?] I don't think it changed much, maybe skidded on a bit more. If I have to be critical, it got a little bit better."
So, that is it from myself, Karthik Raj and my co-commentators, Manan and Akshayakrishna Polya as we wrap up the coverage of this fixture. A note of thanks to our scorer, Asraj Khan as well. Do switch over to the coverage of the MLC game between Seattle Orcas and San Francisco Unicorns while there are several other matches lined up later in the day as well. Until next time, it is a warm good-bye from us.