CMC – West Indies’ bid for a series-levelling win over New Zealand was jettisoned by a career-best spell from left-arm fast bowler, Trent Boult, that handed his side a 204-run victory in the second One-day International on Saturday at Hagley Oval.
Windies were bowled out for 121 in 28 overs to suffer their heaviest ODI defeat to the New Zealanders, as Boult claimed seven for 34 from his allotted 10 overs to reach 100 ODI wickets.

The result left the Caribbean side 0-2 in the three-match series, after the Black Caps also won the first ODI two days earlier at Cobham Oval by five wickets. The final ODI is on Boxing Day, Tuesday, also at Hagley Oval.

West Indies gave another insipid performance in the field, as a record sixth-wicket partnership between local boys Henry Nicholls and Todd Astle, along with other solid contributions from the top-order, carried New Zealand to 325 for six off 50 overs.

Nicholls hit a personal-best top score of 83 and Astle made 49, sharing 130 to establish a new mark for the sixth-wicket against the Windies, George Worker supported with 58, Ross Taylor made 57 and Colin Munro added 30.

Still reeling from the late-innings flourish from Nicholls and Astle that rescued the New Zealanders from 186 for five after the 33rd over, West Indies endured a horrific start to their chase, when Boult removed Kyle Hope, fellow opener Evin Lewis and fellow left-hander Shimron Hetmyer cheaply to leave them wobbling on 21 for three inside the first six overs.

Shai Hope stayed long enough with Jason Mohammed to carry the visitors past the 50-run mark before Boult had him caught behind for 23, as the Windies finished the first Power Play on 53 for four.

The wickets of Mohammed and Rovman Powell for a first-ball duck to Lockie Ferguson off successive balls in the 16th over, and skipper Jason Holder to the same bowler in the 18th over, snuffed out any chance of the tourists scripting a comeback story.

West Indies lost their last three wickets – all to Boult – for 21 in the space of 40 deliveries, as the left-arm fast bowler entered the record books.
Boult became the fifth fastest ODI player in terms of matches to reach 100 wickets (56 games) and finished with the second-best ODI figures by a New Zealander behind Tim Southee (7-33).

Earlier, the Windies again saw Worker and Munro give New Zealand a flying start, bringing up the first 50 in the sixth over before Sheldon Cottrell, the visitors’ most successful bowler with three for 62 from 10 overs, made the breakthrough.
The left-arm fast bowler had Munro caught at mid-on, but Worker would push onto a second consecutive half-century.

Cottrell had Neil Broom caught at slip for six in the 11th over and Worker shared 58 with Taylor before he was caught at deep fine leg off Ronsford Beaton.
Taylor continued to anchor the batting with a typically breezy half-century, but Holder removed him and Black Caps skipper Tom Latham within three overs to leave the hosts at the crossroads.

West Indies however, failed to maintain the pressure, as Nicholls and Astle came together on their home ground and put on a clinic in middle-over batting, manoeuvring the ball around and running well between the wickets to steer their side into a position to launch the final onslaught.

The Windies were almost powerless when they did ignite, as sixes and fours rained down to the delight of the crowd.

Scorecard
NEW ZEALAND
G Worker c Powell b Beaton 58
C Munro c Mohammed b Cottrell 30
N Broom c Holder b Cottrell 6
R Taylor c wkpr S Hope b Holder 57
*+T Latham c wkpr S Hope b Holder 20
H Nicholls not out 83
T Astle b Cottrell 49
D Bracewell not out 5
Extras (lb3, w14) 17
TOTAL (6 wkts, 50 overs) 325
M Henry, L Ferguson, T Boult did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Munro, 6.5 overs); 2-66 (Broom, 10.4); 3-124 (Worker, 18.6); 4-169 (Latham, 30.1); 5-186 (Taylor, 32.6); 6-316 (Astle, 49.2)
Bowling: Cottrell 10-0-62-3 (w2); Holder 10-0-52-2 (w1); Beaton 8-0-60-1 (w3); Gabriel 10-0-75-0 (w3); Nurse 10-0-45-0 (w4); Powell 2-0-28-0 (w1)

WEST INDIES
E Lewis c Bracewell b Boult 10
K Hope b Boult 4
+S Hope c Latham b Boult 23
S Hetmyer c Worker b Boult 2
J Mohammed c and b Ferguson 18
*J Holder c Munro b Ferguson 13
R Powell b Ferguson 0
A Nurse c Worker b Boult 27
S Cottrell c Latham b Boult 8
R Beaton not out 12
S Gabriel b Boult 0
Extras (lb1, w2, nb1) 4
TOTAL (all out, 28 overs) 121
Fall of wickets: 1-10 (K Hope, 1.6 overs); 2-15 (Lewis, 3.3); 3-21 (Hetmyer, 5.1); 4-52 (S Hope, 9.5); 5-70 (Mohammed, 15.3); 6-70 (Powell, 15.4); 7-86 (Holder, 17.6); 8-100 (Cottrell, 21.3); 9-121 (Nurse, 27.4)
Bowling: Henry 7-0-36-0; Boult 10-3-34-7; Bracewell 5-0-19-0 (w2); Ferguson 4-0-17-3 (1nb); Astle 2-0-14-0
Result: New Zealand won by 204 runs
Series: New Zealand lead three-match series 2-0