New Zealand edge West Indies to seal ODI series in Bridgetown

BRIDGETOWN: Mark Chapman’s 80 and a late unbeaten 34 from captain Mitchell Santner carried New Zealand to a one-wicket win over West Indies in the fourth One-day International at Kensington Oval on Sunday, giving the tourists an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

The chase of 189 turned dramatic despite New Zealand appearing on course for a comfortable finish. Santner was dropped with three needed and one wicket left, while last man Jayden Lennox survived reviews for caught behind and lbw before Santner struck the winning run from the first ball of the 45th over. New Zealand reached 189-9 with 35 balls to spare.

Speaking after the match, Santner said the closing stages were frantic but his side kept chipping away at the target through small stands. “It was pretty chaotic, especially the ending,” Santner said. “You try to chip off the total as much as you can. Even partnerships of 10 or 15 at that stage was going a long way. “It probably shouldn’t have got that close but it was nice to get over the line.”

The match was played in tribute to Sir Garry Sobers, who died on Friday aged 89. West Indies had hoped to mark the occasion with a levelling win in Sobers’ home town at the ground where he built his reputation. Both teams wore black armbands, two seats in the pavilion named after Sobers were left empty, and a minute’s silence was observed before play.

West Indies recover after collapse

New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl, continuing a trend in which the side fielding first has won each of the first four matches in the series. West Indies slumped to 58-3 and then 81-6 before Amir Jangoo and Gudakesh Motie repaired the innings with a seventh-wicket partnership of 81.

Jangoo made 51 and Motie scored 41 as West Indies were all out for 188 in 44.4 overs. Matthew Fisher claimed 3-40 and took his first ODI wickets for New Zealand. His first scalp was West Indies captain Shai Hope for two, dismissed by the best ball of the day, a cross-seamer that came back sharply from outside off. Santner took 2-36, Michael Bracewell picked up 2-35 and Jayden Lennox took 1-30, including the wicket of Jayden Seales.

For West Indies, Alick Athanaze Auguste made 33, Justin Greaves scored 10, Keacy Carty 13, Sherfane Rutherford six, Matthew Forde seven, Alzarri Joseph finished unbeaten on nine, Seales made seven and Vitel Lawes scored one.

Motie sparks collapse but New Zealand hold on

New Zealand made a poor start to the chase, losing two wickets for six runs, with Henry Nicholls dismissed without scoring and Nick Kelly making three. Will Young contributed 20, Tom Latham made five and Chapman then steadied the innings in a fifth-wicket stand of 65 with Bracewell.

When Chapman was out for 80, New Zealand were 142-5 and needed 47 more with almost 25 overs still available. But Motie and Joseph dragged West Indies back into the contest. Motie took 5-47 and Joseph returned 1-23, while Bracewell was dismissed for 32 immediately after a short rain break. Nathan Smith, Jacob Duffy and Fisher then fell in quick succession, leaving New Zealand needing eight when Lennox came to the crease at number 11.

Hope said the contest had been an excellent spectacle and praised his side’s resistance after they came close to defending a below-par score. “It’s been a really good cricket game for the onlookers,” Hope said. “If you watch a game like this as a neutral you’re going to be really happy to see play like this. “It was one that could have gone to either side. I must commend our guys for the fight they showed.”

New Zealand had won the second match by five wickets and the third by six wickets after losing the opening game by seven wickets. The fifth and final match of the series will also be played at Kensington Oval on Tuesday.