WELLINGTON, New Zealand, CMC- Poor fielding and a costly over from skipper Dwayne Bravo disrupted West Indies’ momentum and helped New Zealand to a four-wicket win in the second and final T20 match at Westpac Stadium, Wellington here today.
West Indies dropped a number of catches in the field while an expensive 15th over by Bravo yielded 17 runs as New Zealand completed a successful chase after the visitors, who won the toss and elected to bat first, scored 159 for five.
New Zealand have sealed the series two-nil after also winning the opener last Saturday. The West Indies appeared to have lost their way when they were reduced to 67-4 in the 11th over before Denesh Ramdin and Andre Russell breathed life into their innings.
Opener Lendl Simmons was off to an encouraging start hitting five fours to reach 29 before he was caught. Ramdin and Russell (10 not out) put on 70 for the fifth wicket which began when Andre Fletcher, who scored 40, opted to sacrifice himself after he and Ramdin ended up at the same end in a running mix up. Fletcher, who top scored in the first T20 on Saturday, smashed three fours and one six. Ramdin carried on through to the end to be unbeaten on 55 off 31 balls in an innings which included three sixes and three fours.
Chasing the 160 target, New Zealand were struggling at 79-5 before a 68-run partnership between Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi turned the innings around. Taylor played the anchor role with 39 off 41 balls while Ronchi belted an unbeaten 51 off 28 deliveries in an innings that included four fours and two sixes. The pair were particularly harsh on Bravo in the 15th over when they took 17 runs to reduce the target from 54 off 36 balls to a more manageable 37 off 30.
They also took 15 off the 17th over by Jason Holder.
Jesse Ryder was dropped twice as he raced to a quick 23 in nine balls, and Brendon McCullum received a life on his way to 17. Two chances were missed to remove man of the match Ronchi on the first ball he faced. Andre Russell dropped a caught and bowled opportunity and when Ronchi scampered through for a quick single Tino Best was astray with his run out throw at the stumps.