 | « Back to article | Print this article |
New Zealand beat the West Indies by four wickets in the second Twenty20 International at Wellington on Wednesday to win the series 2-0 and add to their 2-0 success in the Tests.
The One-Day Internationals were shared 2-2, the West Indies' only success on their six-week tour.
New Zealand, who won the first Twenty20 by 81 runs, were struggling at 79-5 in Wednesday’s second match before a 68-run partnership between Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi turned the innings around.
Taylor played the anchor role, scoring 39 off 41 balls, while Ronchi belted an unbeaten 51, off 28 deliveries, which included four fours and two sixes.
The pair was particularly harsh on West Indies skipper Dwayne Bravo in the 15th over when they took 17 runs to reduce the target from 54 off 36 balls to a more manageable 37 off 30.
They then took 15 off the 17th over by Jason Holder and although Taylor gave his wicket away with a mistimed log-sweep to Chadwick Walton at deep mid-wicket, New Zealand were by then in a position to coast to victory.
The outcome could have been different had the West Indies been more alert with their fielding.
Jesse Ryder was dropped twice as he raced to a quick 23 in nine balls, and Brendon McCullum received a life on his way to 17.
But the biggest bungle was missing two chances to remove man of the match Ronchi off the first ball he faced.
Andre Russell dropped a caught and bowled opportunity and when Ronchi scampered through for a quick single Tino Best was astray with his run-out throw at the stumps.
The West Indies, who won the toss and elected to bat first, appeared to have lost their way when reduced to 67-4 in the 11th over before Denesh Ramdin and Andre Taylor breathed life into their innings.
They put on 70 for the fifth wicket which ended when Fletcher (40) opted to sacrifice himself after he and Ramdin ended up at the same end in a running mix-up.
Ramdin carried on through to the end to be unbeaten on 55 off 31 balls in an innings which included three sixes and three fours.
New Zealand next host India, starting with the first of five one-day internationals in Napier on Sunday, followed by two Tests.
Scorecard
West Indies
L. Simmons c Neesham b McClenaghan 29
J Charles c Guptill b Milne 7
A. Fletcher run out 40
D. Bravo b N. McCullum 12
C. Walton c Ronchi b Milne 0
D. Ramdin not out 55
A. Russell not out 10
Extras: (LB-2, W-4) 6
Total: (for five wickets; 20 overs) 159
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-37, 3-66, 4-67, 5-137.
Bowling: McClenaghan 4-0-29-1, Milne 4-0-22-2, Neesham 4-0-39-0, Anderson 4-0-50-0, N. McCullum 4-0-17-1.
New Zealand:
M. Guptill c Ramdin b Holder 1
R. Ryder c Simmons b Holder 23
B. McCullum lbw Narine 17
R. Taylor c Walton b Narine 39
C. Munro c Miller b Russell 5
C. Anderson c Charles b Russell 6
L. Ronchi not out 51
J. Neesham not out 14
Extras: (lb3, w4) 7
Total: (for six wickets; 20 overs) 163
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-36, 3-49, 4-69, 5-79, 6-147
Bowling: Holder 3-0-34-2, Best 3-0-37-0, Bravo 3-0-31-0, Narine 4-0-18-2, Miller 3-0-24-0, Russell 3-0-16-2.
Image: New Zealand batsman Luke Ronchi during the second Twenty20 International against the West Indies at Westpac stadium in Wellington.
Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images