KEY POINTS:
New Zealand edged closer to securing a World Cup semifinal birth after defeating the West Indies in Antigua today but international media chose rather to focus on the host side's demise.
It was the West Indies' second successive defeat after losing to Australia yesterday and both times their batsmen failed to front up - falling short of Australia's target by 103 runs and only posting 177 in today's game.
Stephen Brenkley of The Independent newspaper questioned whether the West Indies had succumbed to pressure of being the host nation.
"If ever the West Indies needed to deliver the goods it was in their own World Cup," he said.
"Much has been made of the legacy that this tournament will leave West Indies cricket and indeed the captain, Brian Lara, spoke the other day of the grand new grounds that have been built in its wake.
"But should West Indies depart abjectly at the Super Eight stage, they will have provided no reason for future generations to visit them."
Brenkley went on to criticise their batting effort, describing it as a "knockabout on a Caribbean beach rather than in the most important tournament of their lives."
Cricinfo's Anand Vasu also feared for the West Indies World Cup chances after dropping two Super Eight games in a row.
"West Indies might have begun the World Cup with hopes of breaking the home-team jinx and winning the big prize, but two losses over three days in the Super Eights have dented their chances, leaving them with plenty of work to do in their remaining four games," he said.
Wasu paid special mention to New Zealand pace bowler Shane bond who took three wickets for only 31 runs.
"Shane Bond justified Fleming's decision by producing the opening spell of the tournament, swinging the ball prodigiously at high pace, and it was only some extremely circumspect batting from the West Indian openers that ensured that wickets didn't fall in a heap."
Cricket commentator Mark Nicholas, writing for the Telegraph Online also had praise for New Zealand's strike bowler, describing him as one of the form bowlers of the tournament.
"Bowling a full length that allowed the white ball to swing lavishly, Bond's pace and control were too much for Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who edged a perfect outswinger to slip, and almost too much for Chris Gayle, who flayed at fresh air time and time again.
But Nicholas could not go past the West Indies abysmal batting performance as the main contributor to the result.
"Dinesh Ramdin flapped, Dwayne Smith heaved and Darren Powell prodded. Their indecision and fall crystallised the West Indian performance perfectly."
- NZ HERALD STAFF
