New Zealand defeats West Indies in ODI series

Four batsmen posted half centuries as New Zealand overhauled the West Indies’ total of 301-8 to win the 3^rd One Day International (ODI) by 5 wickets last night at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados to clinch the series 2-1.

Tom Latham scored 69 and put on 120 for the fourth wicket with Daryl Mitchell (63) in a stand which paced the run chase and carried New Zealand in sight of victory.

Martin Guptill (57) and Devon Conway (56) had earlier combined to add 82 runs for the second wicket to give New Zealand a platform for a demanding chase.

Mitchell was out with the score on 248 in the 42^nd over and Latham at 259 in the 44^th, with New Zealand still requiring 43 runs.

James Neesham settled the issue with a decisive innings of 34 from 11 deliveries, taking 18 runs from the 45^th over bowled by leg-spinner, Yannic Cariah.

Neesham hit a six from the bowling of West Indies captain, Nicholas Pooran to end the chase with 17 balls remaining.

Latham appeared to have made a bad decision when he chose to bowl first and as the West Indies flourished in good batting conditions. Kyle Mayers made 105 in a 173-run opening partnership with Shai Hope (51), and Pooran smashed nine sixes in his 91 off 55 balls for the West Indies.

The pitch was much better for batting than those on which the West Indies won the first match by five wickets and New Zealand won the second by 50 runs. The highest previous total in the series was New Zealand’s 212 in the second match.

Mayers and Hope stayed together for almost 35 overs to shape the West Indies innings. Their partnership ended when Hope was out for 51 off 100 balls and, as often happens with large partnerships, Mayers was out two balls later and without addition to the total. Brandon King fell soon afterwards with the score at 181-3 in a sudden reversal for the West Indies.

But Pooran picked up the pace again, posting a half-century from 33 balls. He had hit nine sixes and 4 fours from 55 balls when he was out in the 49^th over.

Mayers and Hope made a cautious start to the innings as they found the pace of the new pitch, crawling to 24 after 10 overs, negotiating a short rain break in the seventh over.

The final scores: The West Indies 301-8 off 50 overs, New Zealand 307-5 off 47.1 overs.