BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – West Indies won for the first time in ten One-Day Internationals when they beat New Zealand by five wickets under lights at Kensington Oval here Wednesday.
Shamarh Brooks plays through the off side during his half-century on Wednesday against New Zealand.Choosing to bowl first, the home side rolled the Black Caps over for a paltry 190 on a challenging pitch, left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (3-28) and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph (3-36) spearheading the attack with three-wicket hauls.
Shamarh Brooks then stroked a delightful 79 off 91 deliveries as West Indies overhauled their target off 39 overs, to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The victory ended a run of three straight clean sweeps – to Pakistan, Bangladesh and India – and marked the Caribbean side’s first ODI win over the Black Caps in their last six meetings.
“Watching the Kiwis bat, we realised it was a bit [of] tough going early for them,” said Brooks, adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his fourth half-century in OD
“I guess credit must go to our bowlers for reducing them to a score of 190 and it was just for us to go out there and get some partnerships and get that total off.
“I think it was just getting a start – I think that was ideal. The wicket was not the easiest to bat on but the longer you spent out there the easier it got.”
New Zealand’s batsmen struggled on the Oval surface, captain Kane Williamson top-scoring with 34 and Michael Bracewell, at number seven, getting 31 while Finn Allen and Mitchell Santner both supported with 25.
Allen belted two fours and two sixes in a 24-ball knock to dominate a 41-run, opening stand with Martin Guptill (24) but once the partnership was broken, the innings collapsed with six wickets going down for 81 runs.
Tottering on 122 for six at the end of the 30th over, New Zealand recovered first through a 40-run, seventh stand between Bracewell and Santner and then courtesy of a 27-run, eighth wicket partnership between Santner and Tim Southee (12).
New ball seamer Jason Holder (2-39) returned to remove Santner and Southee with successive deliveries in the 45th over, however, as the New Zealand tail collapsed.
“I thought it was a big effort [by the batsmen]. Obviously it was very challenging out there to try and get some rhythm and some momentum,” said Williamson.
“Credit to the way West Indies bowled; they got a lot out of that surface and executed their plans well.”
Kyle Mayers (6) was an early casualty of the run chase, the left-hander nicking a defensive prod at left-arm pacer Trent Boult (2-49) to be taken behind in the third over at 17 for one.
His opening partner Shai Hope, who made 26 from 24 balls, followed in the sixth over when he lofted pacer Tim Southee (2-39) to mid off at 37 for two but Brooks then anchored two key stands to help the home side regain their balance.
The right-hander, who counted nine fours and a six, put on 37 for the third wicket with Keacy Carty (11) before adding a further 75 in a fourth wicket stand with captain Nicholas Pooran who made 28.
Left-hander Pooran spent 47 deliveries over his knock and struck two fours before perishing to the second delivery following a 40-minute rain break, but Brooks kept West Indies steady until he finally perished in the 34th over with victory in sight, bowled by Boult.
