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ST JOHN'S, Antigua - All-round strength, which took New Zealand to a 3-0 series win over Australia last month, underpinned an impressive seven-wicket win over West Indies in the World Cup Super Eights match today.
Jacob Oram took three vital top-order wickets with his deceptively lively medium-fast bowling and Scott Styris dismissed captain Brian Lara during 10 economical overs of medium-pace off-cutters. Brendon McCullum gave a superbly acrobatic performance behind the stumps to take four catches.
Neither Oram and McCullum were required to bat but Styris followed up his 87 not out against England and atoned for running out his skipper Stephen Fleming by scoring an unbeaten 80.
The upshot was a further two points for New Zealand who now share top spot in the standings with defending champion Australia and are cruising towards a semi-final spot.
"We're delighted with our all-round players at the moment and the all-round qualities they bring to the side which give me so many options and cover so many bases in terms of pitch conditions and batting strength," Fleming told a news conference.
"I believe that is the strength of our side."
Fleming said McCullum's contribution had been particularly important since an injury to New Zealand's best fielder Lou Vincent.
"His keeping has been pretty special. It's the little things he's doing, not just the catches and the work up to the stumps that have been very good," he said.
"The work that he's doing off the ball, the edge he's generating for the side, is very important, especially losing Lou Vincent, who was our key fielder. He stepped up today and a couple of those catches were crucial."
Oram said he had taken note of the movement obtained by opening bowlers Shane Bond and Michael Mason.
"It was obvious if you had the right areas and got it in the right location you were going to be in business," he said.
New Zealand now meet Bangladesh, who defeated them in a warm-up match, on Monday before flying to Guyana for their game against Ireland. They then switch to Grenada where they will conclude the second round with games against Sri Lanka, South Africa and Australia.
Meanwhile, a disappointed West Indies captain Brian Lara blamed his batsmen for "putting the rope around our own necks".
"We have to look at where we are going wrong. In the two games we have played on this track we have lost the top order (cheaply). We are putting the rope around our own necks," Lara told a news conference just a day after he had defended his frontline batsmen.
"We have to ensure we do a lot better if we are going to perform. We always talk about top three or four batting through and getting a score. (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul did it against Ireland but that's it from five games," he said.
"We have got to get into the frame of mind of winning everything from now on ... the guys have to pick themselves up and know what is in front of us.
"These are really desperate times and we have to try and pull the best out to ensure we get to the semi-finals."
West Indies have not made 250 runs in any of their five World Cup innings so far and Lara said he may consider moving himself up the order from number five.
He also indicated he would have some strong words for his team in their post-match meeting.
"It is impossible to pat people on their backs if they are not doing well. You have to look at the mistakes and correct them.
"In the two games in the second round we haven't really played to our full potential and the guys have to be told that," he said.
"I think maybe the guys are not looking at the fact that we have 300 balls to face ... you have got to take it on and respect the bowlers if they are bowling good deliveries."
The West Indies skipper defended his decision to leave out pace bowler Jerome Taylor for an extra batsman in Lendl Simmons, who came in to bat at number eight and finished unbeaten on 14.
"We thought we would try and strengthen the batting as much as possible and use the opportunity to post a total or chase down what the opposition set us," he said.
"I don't think the difference in the game today was the significance of a bowler. I think it was the fact that we scored 177, you simply can't score that on a pitch like that, you can have 10 bowlers and you are not going to defend it."
There was a poor crowd at the stadium for the second successive game involving the hosts and Lara said that while the team were disappointed with the lack of atmosphere which was low-key for a crucial World Cup encounter his concern was elsewhere.
"We didn't play like it was a crucial World Cup encounter that is more important to me," he said.
- REUTERS
