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Vettori inspires and Kiwis cruise

Sunday, July 11 2004

Brian Lara won the toss and inserted New Zealand on a beautiful batting surface which was expected to get slower and harder to bat on over time. From the pitch report the decision was rather bemusing, but given the strong suit of the West Indian side, it seemed reasonable enough.

From the outset of the game New Zealand's intentions were absolutely clear. Whilst they blazed away with aggressive batting, the West Indies certainly didn't help their cause by dropping two early catches. Stephen Fleming, having just dispatched the lively Best for a boundary the ball before, was set down - a simple chance - at slip by Gayle when on 7. The chance would prove extremely costly. The second chance was purely a sniff of a wicket, a half chance. Nathan Astle slashed Ian Bradshaw square of the wicket and Devon Smith in the gully barely got a hand on the flying white object. It took only 9 overs before the 50-run opening partnership could be celebrated and the Kiwi batsmen looked completely intent on continuing the charge.

As for the recent game against England, injury factors dictated that just two specialist bowlers be in the West Indian XI once again. As such, Tino Best, having been bruited for 33 runs from his 4 overs, was replaced by part-timer Dwayne Smith for the 9th of the innings. A good start for Smith was undone immediately by Bradshaw's surrender of two boundaries in the following over - 60/0 after 10 overs.

Smith continued his good work and Bradshaw tightened up a bit and the return of Tino Best unsurprisingly proved the return of drama too. Slashing at a wide ball, Astle (on 30) initially appeared to be caught by Ricardo Powell at backward point but, was called back by Lara from his walk of the field. The sporting move proved to be correct, as replays showed the ball tumbling out of Powell's hands as he hit the ground. Technically the third dropped catch of the innings, New Zealand benefited largely from 77 for 1 to 77 without loss.

Fleming's 37 ODI fifty came up from 49 balls off the last ball of the 16th over. The drinks break was prelude to a very interesting scenario concerning the light drizzle over the field. David Shepherd called the players off the field and the covers on, but before any headway was made, the rain lightened up and play was called back. Almost immediately after, the rain began to get a bit harder again, but Shepherd was intent and play resumed as scheduled amidst thunder overhead.

It didn't take long for the weather to drive away cricket once more, however. After 18.1 overs the players were forced off again and actually made it off the field this time. The score read 105/0 and thus the break would appear welcomed by the West Indies in attempts to regroup.

Play resumed to a more tame display from New Zealand until Fleming departed, caught by the same man who dropped him earlier. Chris Gayle took the catch off Dwayne Bravo as the New Zealand captain was dismissed for 67 from 66 balls - 120/1. Hamish Marshall took his place at the crease and was off the mark to his first delivery, clipped away for a single. Not long after, Nathan Astle got to his half-century from 74 balls.

He would, however, prove the next man to fall. Gayle the catcher and Bravo the bowler again as Astle fell for 57 - 143/2. The wicket seemed to be the continuation of self-destruct mode, Styris caught by Powell of Dwayne Smith for 1 at 146. A busy period of play saw McMillan and Marshall taking singles at will and pushing the score to 217 then the former chipped Gayle to Sarwan at short extra cover. Almost immediately after, the rains came once more for another brief delay.

The ever-dangerous Chris Cairns (5) was the next to fall in the most interesting of stumpings. A ball down the leg-side deflecting off Jacobs' pad and onto the stumps signalled the red light on. McMillan pushed the returning Best for a single and reached his 21st ODI fifty, but was out in the same over to a massive leading edge which Chanderpaul held running in from the cover boundary whilst avoiding Bradshaw, who had been running out. McMillan's calculated knock contained just a single six and a single four and was ended at 52.

In similar, though rather softer, fashion to the man he replaced, Chris Harris (1) was caught and bowled due a leading edge against Sarwan just 3 balls after and the New Zealand innings was made to look somewhat dimmer suddenly at 252/7. The procession continued in search of quick runs. Daniel Vettori (6) picked out Dwayne Smith at deep wicket with his slog sweep to grant Sarwan his third wicket of the game. The part-time legspinner finished with very useful figures of 6-0-31-3.

Having already bowled 49 overs, Brian Lara was left with the difficult decision of who would bowl the final over. Lara tossed the ball to Tino Best and got immediate gratification - Oram caught behind for 15 first up. The score, once at 217/3, now looking far worse at 266/9. One ball later and Best wrapped up the innings for 266. The striking batsman, Ian Butler prodded the ball down at his feet and set off for a run but even Hopkins' full stretch dive was not enough as Best charged down the track and flicked a sharp return in. Gareth Hopkins run out without facing a ball in first ODI innings.

All said and done, the New Zealanders lost 7 wickets for 49 runs and the last 5 for just 17 runs. Dwayne Smith was definitely the pick of the bowlers with his figures of 1/27 from 10 overs, but Dwayne Bravo (2/67 from 10), Chris Gayle (1/48 from 10) and a good comeback from Tino Best (2/5 from his last 1.2 overs) played their part too.

The West Indies set out to chase a challenging target yet somewhat less than what New Zealand would have hoped to be defending. Gayle didn't stay long, caught at slip off Oram for 4 and Sarwan announced his arrival with a glorious cover drive to the ropes after having received a couple of sharp full deliveries from Butler previously.

Sarwan and Devon Smith advanced cautiously and the fielding of Chris Harris eventually separated them with some solid fielding and poor calling by Smith. The unfortunate dismissal was that of Sarwan for 19 after having looked in quite good form. With a the price of his vice-captain over his head, Smith composed himself well enough to gather two fours off the next Oram over.

As karma goes, however, Devon Smith would be making the long walk back due a short ground - run out by Vettori for 44 - 98/3. A bit surprisingly, although as scheduled, Dwayne Bravo replaced Smith at the crease. His first moment at the crease was shaky as he was struck on the pad but given not out first ball. For Harris it was disappointment as he continued to search for his 200th wicket and for Bravo it was obvious relief.

Next to go, the big one. Brian Lara had been shuffling across his stumps all innings and on this occasion it proved his undoing as a misjudgement saw him trapped plumb in front of the stumps and on the back-foot to Vettori. Out for 30, the West Indian challenge slumped further to 105/4 and hopes of victory quickly fading. The procession continued with Bravo (4 off 14 balls) caught one-handed on the second attempt by Styris at short midwicket, Vettori the bowler once more.

Another hard-fought 3 runs and then another delay, for bad light this time. The players returned not too long after and, with the dominoes set, New Zealand continued to apply pressure to the trigger and the wickets tumbled to suit. Chanderpaul and Powell gave some slight hope by the addition of 38 runs from 51 balls, but it was far too little too late. Powell was caught by Marshall off Vettori for 18 and Dwayne Smith (2) had a minimal impact before Vettori had him LBW.

In a rare opportunity at the crease, Jacobs could do no more than represent Harris' 200th ODI victim, as he was caught by Cairns for 1 - 150/8. Bradshaw was run out to the very next ball and Chanderpaul hit a six in a last gasp effort until finding McMillan's hands as the last man out. Vettori ended with a stunning read of 5 for 30 from 9.2 overs and sealed his Man of the Match award as the inspiration for the disappointing West Indian collapse of 8 wickets for 52 runs. Only Tino Best remained untouched from the spectacle, unbeaten on 1.

New Zealand's victory by 107 runs capped off a very impressive Natwest Series for the tourists and a very memorable final performance, their first time at Lord's in an ODI.

Game Summary:

New Zealand innings 266 ao (49.2 overs)
(SP Fleming 67 [66], NJ Astle 57 [81], CD McMillan 52 [53])
(RR Sarwan 3/31 [6], TL Best 2/57 [7.2], DDJ Bravo 2/67 [10])

West Indies innings 159 ao (41.2 overs)
(DS Smith 44 [72], S Chanderpaul 31 [44], BC Lara 30 [41])
(DL Vettori 5/30 [9.2], JDP Oram 1/26 [8], CZ Harris 1/45 [10])

Result: New Zealand beat West Indies by 107 runs
Series: New Zealand win Natwest Series 2004
Man of the Match: DL Vettori (NZ)

Posted by Liam