By Keith Holder
There is keen interest in the current three-match One-Day International (ODI) series between West Indies and New Zealand at Kensington Oval.
And the discipline displayed by West Indies in triumphing by five wickets in the first match on Wednesday should give them motivation to win the series in their quest to qualify for the World Cup in India next year.
Significantly, the opening match was the first since 1985 that West Indies had played New Zealand in an ODI at Kensington Oval. It was the fifth and final match and West Indies, spurred by a century (116) from current lead selector, The Most Honourable Desmond Haynes, won by 112 runs to complete a clean sweep.
Now, this series is the first in 10 years that New Zealand are playing ODIs in the Caribbean. On the last occasion, West Indies, captained by Daren Sammy, won 4-1.
Five players who featured in the New Zealand team in 2012 are again in the squad for the current series – captain Kane Williamson, Martin Guptil, Tom Latham, Tim Southee and Trent Boult.
There is no West Indies survivor from that series.
The West Indies team showed: Daren Sammy (captain), Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Devon Thomas, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Tino Best.
Off-spinner Narine was the Player of The Series. He took 13 wickets (the most all told) at 11.23 runs each (the best) and was also the most economical (2.92).
Fast bowling all-rounder Russell picked up 10 wickets (Ave: 22.70; Econ: 5.97).
Gayle amassed the most runs (220) at an average of 55.00.
Samuels made 201 runs (Ave: 67.00), Russell 130 (Ave: 130.00) and Smith 117 (Ave: 29.25).
Summarised scores of the 2012 ODI series:
Ist ODI, July 5. At Sabina Park, Jamaica. West Indies won by 9 wickets (with 52 balls remaining) (D/L method).
New Zealand 190/9 (50 overs) (BJ Watling 60 – 98 balls, 5 fours; Jacob Oram 32, Kane Williamson 24, Rob Nicol 14, Andrew Ellis 14, Daniel Flynn 12; Andre Russell 4-45, Sunil Narine 2-26, Ravi Rampaul 2-42).
West Indies 136/1 (24.2/33 overs) (Dwayne Smith 65 not out – 77 balls, 6 fours 3 sixes; Chris Gayle 63 not out – 57 balls, 4 fours, 5 sixes).
Toss: West Indies.
Player Of The Match: Andre Russell.
Umpires: Peter Nero, Richard Kettleborough.
TV Umpire: Richard Illingworth.
Reserve Umpire: Gregory Brathwaite.
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.
2nd ODI, July 7. At Sabina Park, Jamaica. West Indies won by 55 runs.
West Indies 315/5 (50 overs) (Chris Gayle 125 – 107 balls, 8 fours, 9 sixes; Marlon Samuels 101 not out – 103 balls, 7 fours, 1 six; Dwayne Smith 24; Tim Southee 3-55).
New Zealand 260 all out (47 overs) (BJ Watling 72 not out – 62 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes; Kane Williamson 58 – 65 balls, 4 fours, 1 six; Martin Guptil 51 – 81 balls, 5 fours; Daniel Flynn 21, Rob Nicol 15, Jacob Oram 10; Ravi Rampaul 3-50, Sunil Narine 2-45, Marlon Samuels 2-46).
Toss: New Zealand.
Player Of The Match: Marlon Samuels.
Umpires: Gregory Brathwaite, Richard Illingworth.
TV Umpire: Richard Kettleborough.
Reserve Umpire: Peter Nero.
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.
3rd ODI, July 11. At Warner Park, St. Kitts. New Zealand won by 88 runs.
New Zealand 249/9 (50 overs) (Rob Nicol 59 – 69 balls, 4 fours, 3 sixes; Nathan McCullum 50 – 70 balls, 4 fours, 1 six; BJ Watling 40, Daniel Flynn 28, Tim Southee 17 not out, Tom Latham 12, Martin Guptill 11; Andre Russell 4-57, Sunil Narine 2-28).
West Indies 161 all out (34.3 overs) (Andre Russell 42 not out, Dwayne Smith 19, Kieron Pollard 16, Johnson Charles 15, Denesh Ramdin 14, Chris Gayle 11, Marlon Samuels 11, Sunil Narine 10; Jacob Oram 2-22, Nathan McCullum 2-40, Trent Boult 2-45).
Toss: West Indies.
Player Of The Match: Rob Nicol.
Umpires: Joel Wilson, Richard Kettleborough.
TV Umpire: Richard Illingworth.
Reserve Umpire: Peter Nero.
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.
4th ODI, July 14. At Warner Park, St. Kitts. West Indies won by 24 runs.
West Indies 264 all out (49.5 overs) (Kieron Pollard 56 – 70 balls, 5 fours, 1 six; Marlon Samuels 46, Devon Thomas 37, Andre Russell 29, Daren Sammy 26, Dwayne Bravo 18, Chris Gayle 16; Jacob Oram 3-42, Tim Southee 3-53).
New Zealand 240 all out (49.3 overs) (Ross Taylor 110 – 115 balls, 6 fours, 5 sixes; Rob Nicol 35, Tom Latham 32, Nathan McCullum 11, Brendon McCullum 10; Tino Best 4-46, Sunil Narine 2-20).
Toss: West Indies.
Player Of The Match: Sunil Narine.
Umpires: Peter Nero, Richard Illingworth.
TV Umpire: Richard Kettleborough.
Reserve Umpire: Joel Wilson.
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.
5th ODI, July 16. West Indies won by 20 runs.
West Indies 241/9 (50 overs) (Andre Russell 59 not out – 40 balls, 6 fours, 3 sixes; Dwayne Bravo 53 – 93 balls, 3 fours, 1 six; Marlon Samuels 43, Devon Thomas 20, Johnson Charles 15; Tim Southee 3-37, Kyle Mills 3-40, Andrew Ellis 2-54).
New Zealand 221 all out (50 overs) (Kane Williamson 69 – 84 balls, 5 fours, 1 six; Martin Guptil 33, Brendon McCullum 33, Ross Taylor 28, Andrew Ellis 28, Tom Latham 11; Sunil Narine 5-27, Dwayne Bravo 2-30, Tino Best 2-58).
Toss: West Indies.
Player Of The Match: Sunil Narine.
Player Of The Series: Sunil Narine.
Umpires: Joel Wilson, Richard Kettleborough.
TV Umpire: Richard Illingworth.
Reserve Umpires: Peter Nero.
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft.
NB: Summarised scores of the 1985 ODI (April 23) between West Indies and New Zealand at Kensington Oval. West Indies won by 112 runs.
West Indies 265/3 (49 overs) (Desmond Haynes 116 – 138 balls, 9 fours, 2 sixes; Larry Gomes 78 – 91 balls, 9 fours; Viv Richards 33 not out, Richie Richardson 21, Gus Logie 11 not out; Ewen Chatfield 2-61).
New Zealand 153-8 (49 overs) (Ian Smith 37, Jeff Crowe 30, John Wright 22, Ken Rutherford 18, Richard Hadlee 16 not out; Winston Davis 3-32, Roger Harper 3-38).
Toss: New Zealand.
Player Of The Match: Desmond Haynes.
Umpires: David Archer, Lloyd Barker.
Teams:
West Indies – Viv Richards (captain), Desmond Haynes, Richie Richardson, Larry Gomes, Gus Logie, Jeff Dujon, Roger Harper, Eldine Baptiste, Michael Holding Joel Garner, Winston Davis.
New Zealand – Geoff Howarth (captain), John Wright, Ken Rutherford, Martin Crowe, Jeremy Coney, Jeff Crowe, Lance Cairns, Ian Smith, Richard Hadlee, Gary Troup, Ewen Chatfield.
Keith Holder is a veteran, award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering local, regional and International cricket since 1980 as a writer and commentator. He has compiled statistics on the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 (rebranded Elite in 2012) Championship for four decades and provides statistics and stories for the BCA website (www.barbadoscricket.org). Email: Keithfholder@gmail.com
