Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner give New Zealand one-day series victory over West Indies
BRIDGETOWN: New Zealand batter Mark Chapman plays a stroke during the fourth ODI against West Indies at the Kensington Oval.—AFP BRIDGETOWN: Mark Chapman’s solid half-century and intelligent willow work by captain Mitchell Santner with tailenders under...
New Zealand sealed the one-day international series against West Indies with a nervy one-wicket win in Bridgetown on Sunday, edging the hosts by one wicket in the fourth match at Kensington Oval to take an unassailable 3-1 lead, according to a monitored public feed from Dawn Sport.
Mark Chapman anchored the chase with a composed 80, while captain Mitchell Santner held firm at the end and finished unbeaten on 34 to guide New Zealand to 189 for nine in 44.1 overs. The tourists reached the target with 35 balls to spare, though only after late pressure from West Indies turned a seemingly routine chase into a tense finish.
West Indies had been set up to challenge after being bowled out for 188 in 44.4 overs. Amir Jangoo top-scored with 51 and Gudakesh Motie added 41 in a useful lower-order rescue act, but the innings never fully recovered from early damage. New Zealand struck repeatedly through the middle overs, with Matthew Fisher taking three wickets for 40 in what was described as his first ODI wickets for the team. Santner also chipped in with two wickets, while Michael Bracewell claimed two and Nathan Smith and Jayden Lennox picked up one each.
The chase began badly for New Zealand, with two wickets falling for just six runs. Chapman then steadied the innings and shared important partnerships, including a 65-run stand with Bracewell that moved the visitors close to control. But Motie and Alzarri Joseph dragged West Indies back into the contest. Motie finished with five for 47, repeatedly breaking through New Zealand’s lower order after Chapman departed with the score on 142 for five.
A short rain interruption added to the tension before New Zealand’s collapse deepened. Bracewell was dismissed on the first ball after the break, and quick wickets left the tourists needing only a handful of runs with the tail exposed. Santner kept his composure, and after West Indies’ final review chances failed to overturn decisions against Lennox, the New Zealand captain hit the winning runs off the first ball of the 45th over.
The match was played in a subdued atmosphere following the death of Sir Garry Sobers, the West Indies great who died on Friday aged 89. Both teams wore black armbands, two seats were left empty in the pavilion named for Sobers, and a minute of silence was observed before play. West Indies had hoped to honour Sobers with a victory in his home town, but the result instead went New Zealand’s way in another match where bowling first proved decisive.
The teams have now seen the side fielding first win all four matches in the series so far. The final ODI will also be played at Kensington Oval on Tuesday.
Source: Dawn Sport - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017100/mark-chapman-mitchell-santner-give-new-zealand-one-day-series-victory-over-west-indies
