Windies struggle again - New Zealand take 2-1 lead in ODI series

NELSON, New Zealand (CMC):New Zealand beat West Indies by 58 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method to win the fourth one-day international (ODI) here at Saxton Oval and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Rain shortened play during the West Indies' reply to New Zealand's 285 for six off their 50 overs. West Indies were 134 for five in the 34th over when play was officially called off.

West Indies struggled from the start, losing both openers - Chadwick Walton (0) and Johnson Charles (0).

Kirk Edwards and Lendl Simmons stabilised the innings before Edwards was run out by Brendon McCullum for 24 and Simmons was caught on the boundary for 43 off 48 balls.

challenging target

When the rain came, Dwayne Bravo (43) and Denesh Ramdin (17) were at the wickets but still short of the run equation.

Earlier, opener Martin Guptill set the stage for New Zealand with a knock of 81. Ross Taylor (49), and 47 each from Jesse Ryder and Kane Williamson ensured a challenging target for the West Indies.

Bravo finished with two for 35 and a wicket each for Sunil Narine, Jason Holder and Tino Best.

Best was the most expensive of the bowlers, conceding 22 runs off his final over to end with one for 70 off nine overs.

West Indies were down to 12 fit players after pacer Ravi Rampaul suffered an injured finger while batting the nets on Friday. This followed injuries to Marlon Samuels and Darren Sammy and the withdrawal of Darren Bravo due to personal reasons.

The fifth and final ODI will be played in Hamilton on Wednesday (Tuesday afternoon Caribbean time). The two teams will also contest two Twenty20 matches.

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand

M. Guptill c Bravo b Holder 81J. Ryder c Ramdin b Bravo 47K. Williamson c Ramdin b Best 47R. Taylor run out (Holder/Narine) 49B. McCullum c Bravo b Narine 14C. Anderson not out 17L. Ronchi b Bravo 9N. McCullum not out 9

Total: 285/6 (50 Overs)

Extras: (5LB, 6WD, 1NB) 12

Did not bat: Tim Southee, Kyle Mills, Mitchell McClenaghan.

Fall of wickets: 1-56 (Ryder, 14.2 ov), 2-144 (Williamson, 31.4 ov), 3-203 (Guptill, 41.4 ov), 4-232 (BB McCullum, 44.2 ov), 5-253 (Taylor, 46.5 ov), 6-267 (Ronchi, 48.5 ov)

Bowling: Holder 10-2-58-1, Best 9-0-70-1, Bravo 7-0-35-2, Miller 10-0-47-0, Narine 10-0-47-1, Deonarine 4-0-23-0.

West Indies (Target; 286)

C. Walton run out (Williamson/Ronchi) 0J. Charles c Southee b McClenaghan 0K. Edwards run out (B McCullum/Ronchi) 24L. Simmons c Guptill b Williamson 43D. Bravo not out 43N. Deonarine c Mills b N McCullum 3D. Ramdin not out 17

Total: 134/5 (33.4 Overs)

Extras: (3LB, 1WD) 4

Did not bat: Sunil Narine, Jason Holder, Nikita Miller, Tino Best.

Fall of Wickets: 1-0 (Walton, 0.4 ov), 2-2 (Charles, 3.4 ov), 3-62 (Edwards, 14.3 ov), 4-83 (Simmons, 21.4 ov), 5-92 (Deonarine, 24.5 ov)

Bowling: Southee 5-1-21-0, McClenaghan 6.4-1-30-1, Mills 2-0-10-0, Anderson 2-0-10-0, McCullum 10-0-30-1, Williamson 8-0-30-1.

Toss: New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat

Man of the Match: Martin Guptill

Umpires: Billy Bowden & Ian Gould (England)