New Zealand edged past West Indies by 5 runs in a round-robin match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 at the Old Trafford, Manchester.
After winning the toss, West Indies invited the Kiwi batsmen to have a bat first. The New Zealand batsmen managed 291/8 in their 50 overs.
In response, West Indies were bundled out for 286 in 49 overs.
Carlos Brathwaite was the top scorer for the West Indies with 101 runs off just 82 balls, keeping the Caribbeans in the hunt.
West Indies had endured an early mishap when in-form opener Shai Hope was bowled by a Trent Boult delivery in the third over.
Be that as it may, star opener Chris Gayle posted a solid 87 off 84 balls while Shimron Hetmyer scored 54 off 45 as the Windies endeavoured a counter attack and put the Black Caps on the back foot.
Gayle and Hetmyer stitched together a partnership of 122 runs to put West Indies into the driver’s seat.
However, as has been the case in most of the Windies matches, they began losing wickets at regular interims to get themselves into a pressure situation.
Regardless of Brathwaite’s gallant century, the other West Indies batsmen failed to apply themselves at the other end as the men from the Caribbean islands eventually surrendered to one more batting collapse.
Boult was the best among the Kiwi bowlers with figures of 4/30. Pacer Lockie Ferguson also bowled well for his 3/59. Matt Henry, James Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme sacked a wicket each.
In the first innings of the match, Windies pacer Sheldon Cottrell recorded his name in the history books as he evacuated both New Zealand openers – Martin Guptill and Colin Munro for ducks in a top class first over.
It was just the second time the two openers in any World Cup had succumbed to first-ball noughts, with Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Thirimanne and Tillakaratne Dilshan getting out for ducks against Afghanistan in World Cup 2015.
The difference was that they had been picked by two different bowlers – Dawlat Zadran and Shapoor Zadran.
After West Indies skipper Jason Holder won the toss and put New Zealand to bat, left-arm fast bowler Cottrell was on target first ball with a delivery that crashed into the pads of Guptill.
Umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge did not give the decision in favour of the bowler, however, the West Indies went for a Decision Review, with replays clearly showing that the ball had pitched in line and would have hit the leg stump.
Guptill, who made a World Cup record 237 not out when New Zealand had beaten West Indies in a 2015 quarter-final in Wellington, had to walk off the pitch without troubling the scorers.
Misfield by Carlos Braithwaite permitted New Zealand skipper and new batsman Kane Williamson, who was coming on the back of a match-winning century against South Africa, to get off the mark with a four which they ran between the wickets.
Williamson then drove through the covers for three off the fourth ball to leave Colin Munro on strike.
He also fell first ball, beaten totally by a yorker that crashed into his stumps.
Ross Taylor hit a three off the last ball of a brilliant first over to leave New Zealand 10-2. However, a century from Kane Williamson and a good hand from Ross Taylor propelled New Zealand to a total which turned out to be a match-winning one in the end.
The West Indies though, for their fighting spirit till the end, were showered praises from fans all over the world.
Brief Scorecard:
New Zealand 291/8 (Kane Williamson 148; Ross Taylor 69; Sheldon Cottrell 4/56)
West Indies 286/10 (Carlos Braithwaite 101; Chris Gayle 87; Trent Boult 4/30)
Player of the Match: Kane Williamson