… coach Dyson pleased with second ODI performance
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (CMC) – West Indies arrived here yesterday brimming with confidence ahead of the third One-Day International against New Zealand on Wednesday.
The tourists beat the Black Caps by five wickets with a ball to spare in the second encounter in Christchurch on Saturday, to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after the first match in Queenstown was rained out last week.
Windies coach John Dyson said the win had given his side added confidence and believed they were ready to slug it out with the hosts in what would continue to be tough series.
“As I said from the time we arrived here, this will be a hard-fought series. We saw it in the Tests, we saw it in the Twenty20 matches and I expect the same in the One-Dayers. The players are ready for it and will be up to it,” Dyson stressed.
“When you look at scores at this ground (Westpac Stadium) they have been some good scores made by teams batting first and some big scores have been chased down, so I expect this will be another one of those kinds of games.”
In the rain-affected second ODI reduced to 28 overs per side, West Indies successfully chased down New Zealand’s 152 for eight, reaching their revised target of 158 under the Duckworth/Lewis Method.
Top order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan starred with a classy, unbeaten 67 from 65 balls and shared a crucial, unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 48 with Denesh Ramdin (28), to guide the Windies home.
“I thought they played extremely well. Sarwan played a controlled innings and it was important that he was there at the finish. Ramdin came in and just gave us that little bit of punch that we needed to finish the game off,” Dyson said.
“I was very pleased about that. I thought that the main bowlers were very good as well. They made life very awkward for the New Zealand batsmen and restricted them. There were many pleasing signs at Christchurch.”
West Indies are scheduled to have their first training session this afternoon at the Basin Reserve.
Prolific left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who missed the last two matches with a hand injury, remains on the mend and a match-day decision will be made on his inclusion.
The third ODI bowls off at the Westpac Stadium on Wednesday at 14:00 h (Tuesday, 21:00 h Eastern Caribbean time).
