NZ takes ODI series to decider
AUCKLAND: Finn Allen made 96 and Tim Southee took four for 22 as the Black Caps beat the West Indies by 50 runs under the DuckworthLewis system in the second oneday international on Saturday to level the threematch series.
New Zealand made 212 batting first and the West Indies were in dire straits at 27 for six, potentially facing their lowest total in an ODI, until a long rain break and bold lateorder batting gave them hope.
Southee and Trent Boult combined to crash through the West Indies top and middle order, leaving the home team six wickets down in the 10th over. Southee took four for 22 and Boult three for 18.
When the rain stopped late in the evening at Kensington Oval, the West Indies, who were 63 for seven at the break, were left to chase 212 from only 41 overs.
They found an unusual hero in Yannic Cariah who posted a half century in his first innings in an ODI and shared an 85run partnership with Alzarri Joseph (49). Joseph fell with the total at 157 for nine and four runs later Cariah was the last man out for 52 to make today’s third international the series decider.
Earlier, Allen fell four runs short of a maiden century as New Zealand overcame the loss of its captain and a stuttering start to post 212 in 48.2 overs.
Skipper Kane Williamson was ruled out with a quad muscle strain suffered in the first match of the threematch series which the West Indies won by five wickets. Standin captain Tom Latham was among three batsmen to fall early as New Zealand struggled to 31 for three in the 10th over. He was out for a threeball duck while Martin Guptill fell for three and Devon Conway for six.
The 23yearold Allen revived the innings in a 84run partnership with Daryl Mitchell (41) for the fourth wicket. They had steered New Zealand into a stronger position at 115 for four when Mitchell mishit an attempted slog over midwicket and was caught at square leg from the bowling of spinner Kevin Sinclair.
New Zealand failed to build on that promising position. Allrounder Michael Bracewell (six) and power hitters Glenn Phillips (nine) and Jimmy Neesham (one) came and went quickly.
Allen finally was out for 96 from the first ball of the 41st over when New Zealand was 165 for seven. He had faced 117 balls and hit three sixes and seven fours.
"It was nice to get the team off to what we thought was a competitive total,’’ Allen said.
‘‘I was disappointed to leave us about 10 overs short. I thought there were stills a few runs out there which we could have put on to seal the deal a bit more.’’
The New Zealand innings lost direction in his absence, though Mitchell Santner and tailender Boult added a valuable 31 for the last wicket. Boult finally was out for 16, giving offspinner Sinclair his fourth wicket of the innings.
Santner was left not out on 26, taken from 27 balls, and the Black Caps’ total proved enough as their seamers shone.