West Indies vs New Zealand: Kyle Mayers ton in vain as Kiwis clinch ODI series – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

New Zealand defeated the West Indies by five wickets in the third and final ODI to clinch the three-match series at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Sunday. It was also New Zealand’s first ever bilateral win in the Caribbean in 37 years.

Chasing a target of 302, four Kiwi batters struck half-centuries as New Zealand won the match with 17 balls to spare. Captain Tom Latham top-scored with 69, Daryl Mitchell made 63, while Martin Guptill and Devon Conway smashed 57 and 56 respectively as New Zeland scored 307/5.

Jason Holder and Yannic Cariah scalped two wickets each.

Earlier, Kyle Mayers’ lashed a brilliant century and captain Nicholas Pooran blasted 91 off 55 balls as the West Indies scored a formidable 301/8 batting first.

Mayer’s 105 off 110 balls with 12 fours and three sixes dominated an opening stand of 173 with Shai Hope (51) but Pooran’s explosive contribution was necessary to push the home side beyond the 300-run mark.

Pooran, under pressure to deliver with the bat in a team which fell flat in the second fixture two days earlier, responded in the most impressive manner possible at Kensington Oval.

He belted nine sixes and four fours in just 14 overs at the crease, taking a particular liking to Lockie Ferguson as New Zealand’s fastest bowler conceded 80 runs in his ten-over allotment.

In stark contrast to Ferguson’s misery, spinner Mitchell Santner was a model of excellent containment in claiming two for 38 while left-arm swing bowler Trent Boult was the leading wicket-taker with three for 53.

With AFP inputs

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