Ferguson: We still need to improve despite win

Auckland: Blackcaps paceman Lockie Ferguson believes there is still room for improvement after New Zealand drew first blood in their Twenty20 series against the West Indies, with a five-wicket win in Auckland.

In a rain-affected contest, Ferguson was named man-of-the-match after finishing 5/21 with the ball - becoming just the second Kiwi behind Tim Southee to grab a five-wicket bag in T20 cricket.

Ferguson’s brilliance with the ball came after the West Indies made a red-hot start with the bat, reaching 55/0 after just 18 overs.

Three overs later, the visitors were 59/5, but captain Kieron Pollard rescued his side, scoring 75 runs off 37 balls and steering his team to 180/7.

New Zealand’s target was adjusted to 176 runs due to the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method and the Kiwis chased down the total with four balls to spare.

Despite the win, Ferguson knows the Blackcaps must be more consistent with the ball if they are to wrap up the series in the second T20 in Mt Maunganui on Sunday afternoon.

While Ferguson tore through the West

Indies’ batsman, Hamish Bennett (0/50) and Jimmy Neesham (0/32) both struggled, getting smacked for a combined eight sixes in four overs.

“When you face these guys - especially Kieron, who has been very successful - over the past few months, winning every competition there is, you’re under the pump (as) Eden Park gets even smaller,” says Ferguson.

“I thought we bowled a couple of yorkers that only missed by a little bit and they went a long way into the boundary.

“We have to look at our plans and execute them better going forward. That’s pretty cliché in T20 cricket.

“You have good days and you have bad [days]. If we continue to improve, we’ll be better for it.”