Black Caps beat Windies by 66-runs in ODI

Dec 26, 2017 - 6:57 AM New Zealand have completed a clean sweep in their one-day international series against the West Indies with a 66-run win in the rain-affected third match.

Set a target of 166 from 23 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis system after New Zealand had stuttered their way to 4-131 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, the Windies finished the day on 9-99.

Matt Henry got the Kiwis off to the best possible start in removing Chris Gayle for four with the last ball of the first over, caught at point by Colin Munro.

Henry, who finished with figures of 2-18, also trapped Kyle Hope lbw for two early in the third over.

But it was Boult (3-18) who played the decisive role, grabbing the wicket of Shai Hope for two with the third ball of his first over.

He went on to remove both Mohammed (one) and Chad Walton for a duck in his second to leave the Windies 5-9 inside four overs.

Skipper Jason Holder and Rovman Powell put on 48 for the sixth wicket, before the guile of Mitchell Santner (3-15) tempted Powell into an ill-advised slog which was well taken by Lockie Ferguson at third man.

From then on it was just a matter of time.

Todd Astle, who had gone for 15 in his first over, bowled Ashley Nurse for one with a well-disguised wrong'un, then Santner removed Holder for 34 after he caught a leading edge which skied to Neil Broom in the covers.

Shannon Gabriel (12) and Miller (20) put on 26 in a stubborn last-wicket stand as the game petered to a close.

New Zealand had been 3-83 after 19 overs when increasingly steady rain forced the players from the field just before 12.30pm, with the game eventually restarting nearly five hours later.

A 73-run partnership for the fourth wicket between stand-in skipper Tom Latham and Ross Taylor set the match back on track after the Black Caps had slumped to 3-26 midway through the sixth over.

Latham made 37 off 42 balls, then Taylor (47) and Henry Nicholls (18 ) added 32 runs off the final 21 balls in an unbeaten stand.

The Kiwis comfortably won the first two ODIs, the first by five wickets in Whangarei last Wednesday, and the second by 204 runs at Hagley Oval on Saturday.

Source: AAP