Thorough batting from New Zealand's top four sealed the fourth one-day match of the series against the West Indies.
The hosts triumphed by 58 runs, via Duckworth-Lewis Method once rain set in at 5.14pm. The players exited in the 34th over with the West Indies 134 for five chasing 286 for victory in Saxton Oval's debut as an international venue. The rain-adjusted target meant the visitors needed a par score of 192 to be level with New Zealand at the same point.
New Zealand's bowlers and fielders had ample runs to defend. The West Indies force the pace early, especially after losing both openers for ducks. The pace quartet conceded less than five-runs an over while Nathan McCullum and Kane Williamson spun 18 tidy overs to get New Zealand past the 20 overs required for a result. The fielding which included two in-field run outs to Williamson and Brendon McCullum (throwing to Luke Ronchi) was another core thread to victory. Sometimes it was as if the visitors had heard one too many Bob Marley songs over the PA system this tour and needed to make tracks before another one was inserted between overs.
The hosts 285 for six seemed commendable after choosing to bat, yet judging by early crowd reaction and Twitter wisdom, the New Zealanders were suddenly malfunctioning unless a six was delivered every 5.73 balls, like Queenstown. Sure, powerplays of 38 runs for the first 10 overs and 38 runs from overs 36 to 40 could have been amplified, but it was hardly a dirge. Horror of horrors, the first six only came at the end of the 17th over.
The reaction may have been skewed by a high proportion of the crowd, predominantly men, dressed in orange T-shirts hoping to win $100,000 with a one-handed catch in Tui beer's latest promotion. The upshot of just five sixes was that no children were trampled or hoardings flattened in the hunt to get rich quick. It's also important to remember the likes of Corey Anderson's New Year's Day heroics can't be produced every innings. The 23-year-old is still a fledgling talent.
