Hosts New Zealand came out all guns blazing and outplayed West Indies in all facets of the game. The Kiwis looked determined not to share the series and dominated from the word go. From the toss till the end of the match. They put West Indies into bat and bowled them out for 140 in 18.4 overs with Jacob Duffy leading the way with 4-wicket haul.
In reply, Devon Conway and Tim Robinson’s enterprising 40s helped New Zealand get over the line without breaking a sweat as they won by 8 wickets with 26 balls to spare as it was a cruise for the hosts to clinch the series 3-1 with one match abandoned.
Jacob Duffy’s 4-wicket haul limits West Indies to 140 in 18.4 overs.Â
Put into bat first, captain Shai Hope and Alick Athanaze came out to bat for West Indies while Jacob Duffy had ball in hand for New Zealand. Hope began with a bang as he slashed hard to get a top edge which flew down to the third man fence for the maximum. Hope ended the over with a boundary by lofting it over mid-off for a boundary. Kyle Jamieson had ball in hand from the other end and he removed Athanaze for 1 off 4 balls.
Jamieson bowled a good length delivery around the middle stump line swung back in a shade with extra bounce. There was no footwork from Athanaze who looked to push it straight and chipped it from the splice of the blade. Jamieson timed his jump to perfection on his follow through and took the catch with both hands. Ackeem Auguste came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary by puling it away over midwicket. Auguste then crunched the bowler through the off-side as the punch went through cover point for a boundary.
Jacob Duffy struck for New Zealand and got his 50th T20I wicket as Shai Hope departed for 11 off 5 balls with one four and one six to his name. Duffy bowled a back of a length delivery around the fourth stump from over the wicket. Hope cleared his front leg and looked to pull it away leg side. He lost his shape and got a top edge which went straight up in the air. Conway called for it to settle underneath it and complete the catch. Roston Chase got off the mark straightaway after walking out to bat. Duffy got another in the over as he removed Auguste for 8 off 5 balls with 2 boundaries to his name.
Duffy bowled an inswinger full around the leg stump, Auguste got his front pad away and looked to flick it away on the leg side and he missed it on the inside edge and the ball crashed into the leg stump. Sherfane Rutherford came in next and got out for a silver duck as Duffy had 3 in the over. Duffy bowled a length ball wide outside off-stump with width offered. Rutherford stepped down the track and reached for it and threw his hands at it. He got a thick outside edge and Conway took an easy catch. Rovman Powell came out to bat next.
Jamieson continued as Chase leaned forward and slammed it over mid-on for a boundary. Duffy continued for another over. Powell put him away by leaning forward and carved it away over cover point for a boundary. Jimmy Neesham came to bowl the final over of powerplay. Chase hit him by lofting it over mid-on as Jamieson gave chase and dived to pull it back in but he touched the ropes with his left hand and so boundary was signalled. Powell then took the attack to Neesham by lofting it over midwicket for the maximum. At the end of the powerplay, West Indies were 47/4 and in a spot of bother.
Spin was introduced next after powerplay as Michael Bracewell came into the attack. He got rid of Powell for 11 off 8 balls with one four and one six to his name. Bracewell bowled a length ball outside off-stump. Powell stepped out and looked to smash it over deep extra cover fence. He sliced it away from the outer half of the blade. Chapman at deep extra cover settled underneath it and took the catch. Jason Holder came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Ish Sodhi came into the attack next and was greeted with a boundary as the juicy full toss was put away by Chase over the bowler’s head. Captain Mitchell Santner came into the attack next and bowled a decent first over. Sodhi continued as Chase broke the shackles a tad by rocking back and pulled it away flat and hard past the right of wide long-on for the maximum. West Indies survived a run out scare as Holder was gone, but the direct hit was missed by the hosts. Holder then hit Sodhi for a boundary by throwing his hands at it and got a top edge towards short third man and he misfielded as the ball went to the deep third man fence.
West Indies were 75/5 in 10 overs at the halfway stage of the innings as we paused for Drinks Break. Michael Bracewell came back into the attack as Holder took him on as he hit it straight down the ground for the maximum. Neesham came back into the attack and he provided the breakthrough removing Chase for 38 off 32 balls with 3 fours and a maximum to his name. Neesham got extra bounce off the surface from a length on off-stump. Chase looked to cut it hard but the extra bounce took the edge and the keeper did the rest. Romario Shepherd came out to bat next.
Sodhi returned and got rid of Holder for 20 off 19 balls with one four and one six to his name. Sodhi bowled a short ball outside the off-stump turning away. Holder cut with no power and gave some catching practice to Neesham at point who took it easily. Matthew Forde came out to bat next. Santner returned to the attack and he removed Forde for a bronze duck.
Santner bowled a length ball fired in, Forde looked to loft it high and handsome. He could manage the ball high in the air as a good running catch from Neesham around square leg in the circle to complete the dismissal. Shamar Springer came out to bat next. Sodhi continued as Shepherd got on top of the bounce and hit it between the point fielders for a boundary. Shepherd got a streaky boundary away as the outside edge flew down to third man for a boundary. The 100 came up for West Indies in 14.5 overs. Shepherd survived a close LBW call as the umpire said no and on DRS umpire’s call saved the batter.
After 15 overs, West Indies were struggling at 102/8. Neesham came back into the attack as Shepherd wanted to ramp it over fine leg and got inside the line and he got a top edge and the ball skewed over the keeper for a boundary. Santner returned as Shepherd took him on by pulling it over midwicket for the maximum. Duffy came back for his final over as Shepherd took him on by pulling it over deep square leg for the maximum. Shepherd took on Duffy again as nailed the lofted shot down the ground over long-on for the maximum.
Shepherd was dropped by Robinson in the deep but Duffy hit back and got rid of Shepherd for 36 off 22 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes to his name. Duffy bowled a length ball at pace on the stumps. Shepherd looked to hoick it well over long-on and he got the height and not the distance. Neesham settled underneath it and took the catch. Jayden Seales came out to bat next as Duffy ended his spell.
Neesham came to bowl the 19th over and he removed Seales for a silver duck. Neesham bowled a fuller ball outside the off-stump. Seales looked to hoick it over the off-side and did not get any timing and gave an easy catch to Mitchell. Springer remained unbeaten on 9 off 10 balls as West Indies were bowled out for 140 in 18.4 overs. 6 extras given by the fielding side.
Jacob Duffy was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/35 in 4 overs. Jimmy Neesham chipped in with 2/31 in 3.4 overs. Kyle Jamieson finished with 1/13 in 2 overs. Michael Bracewell finished with 1/14 in 2 overs. Ish Sodhi finished with 1/29 in 4 overs. Mitchell Santner finished with 1/16 in 3 overs. This meant that New Zealand needed 141 runs to win to clinch the series 3-1.
Devon Conway & Tim Robinson’s sparkling 40s helps New Zealand to an emphatic 8-wicket win.Â
Chasing 141 for the win, Tim Robinson and Devon Conway walked out to bat for New Zealand while Matthew Forde had ball in hand for West Indies. Robinson got a life as Forde could not hold onto a tough chance of his own bowling. Robinson added salt to the wounds by nailing the ball past covers for a boundary. Jayden Seales had ball in hand from the other end. Robinson took him on by charging down the track and nailing it over deep backward point for the maximum. Robinson then rode the bounce and cut it past covers for a boundary.
Forde continued as Robinson smoked him past covers for a boundary. Conway got into the act now as he threw his hands at it and the ball flew over third man for the maximum. Robinson took on Seales by coming down the track and whacking it over midwicket for the maximum. Forde continued as Conway got into the position early and ramped it over fine leg for a boundary.
Jason Holder came into the attack to bowl the final over of powerplay. Robinson took the attack to Holder by hitting him for back-to-back boundaries one past fine leg and the other past covers. The 50-run stand came up between the two players before Robinson went big straight down the ground for the maximum. At the end of the powerplay, New Zealand were 61/0 in 6 overs in the chase of 141.
Roston Chase came into the attack post the powerplay and was welcomed with a boundary from Conway who slammed it down the ground. Romario Shepherd came into the attack next and he provided the breakthrough for West Indies getting rid of Robinson for 45 off 24 balls with 5 fours and 3 sixes to his name. Shepherd from over the wicket bowled a fuller ball on the stumps nipping back in and hit the inside edge back onto the stumps. Rachin Ravindra came to the crease next. He got off the mark with a boundary by pulling the ball in front of square.
Chase continued as Ravindra pulled it hard past midwicket for a boundary. Shepherd continued and overstepped as well, but the free hit yielded just a single. New Zealand were well-placed at 91/1 in 10 overs as we paused for the Drinks Break. Chase came back after the break and Ravindra welcomed him with the maximum by getting underneath it and smoked it over deep midwicket. Conway got into the act next as he rocked back and slapped it through the covers for a boundary as the 100 came up for New Zealand in 10.4 overs.
Shamar Springer came into the attack next and he removed Ravindra for 21 off 16 balls with 2 fours and a maximum to his name. Springer bowled it full and wide outside off-stump. Ravindra stayed deep in his crease and drove it uppishly straight to Rutherford at extra cover who took a good catch at the edge of the circle. Mark Chapman came out to bat and was adjudged LBW first ball only for the batter to review and get it overturned in his favour.
Holder came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Springer continued as Chase dropped a tough chance at short third man with Conway getting a life. Seales came back into the attack. Chapman just stood and delivered by clearing his front leg and pulled it over deep midwicket for the maximum. Chapman did it again as he pressed forward to thump it over deep extra cover for the maximum. New Zealand were now 134/2 in 15 overs and within touching distance of the win.
Shepherd came back into the attack as Conway bisected the gap nicely by flicking it between deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Conway calmly hit the winning runs as he remained unbeaten on 47 off 42 balls with 4 fours and one six to his name while Mark Chapman remained unbeaten on 21 off 13 balls with 2 sixes to his name. 7 extras given by the fielding side as New Zealand were home by 8 wickets in 15.4 overs.
Shamar Springer picked up 1/8 in 2 overs while Romario Shepherd picked up 1/21 in 2.4 overs. The rest of the bowlers used went for runs and picked up 0 wickets. So, New Zealand wins this match by 8 wickets to clinch the series 3-1. Jacob Duffy was awarded both Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
What Lies Ahead.Â
So, New Zealand win the T20I series 3-1 with one game rained off. Both teams head off now for a 3-match ODI series. The first of those matches will be on Sunday 16th November at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. at 6:30 AM IST. Mitchell Santner and Shai Hope will be respective captains and we shall see which teams comes out on top in this ODI rubber.
Also Read: NZ VS WI: Mark Chapman’s Brilliant Innings Helps New Zealand Eke Out A Thrilling Win.