New Zealand 2 West Indies 0

New Zealand has won the second Test and clinched the series, destroying the West Indies by ten wickets in Wellington.

Play was delayed by an hour due to rain, but when things finally got underway it was the same old story. The New Zealand bowlers, without strike man Shane Bond, bowled with discipline and got a reward early with Dwayne Bravo out pulling off the bowling of Chris Martin.

From there Denesh Ramdin and Captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul went into their shells, scoring just 38 runs in an hour and a half’s cricket before Ramdin was out in the final over before lunch, beautifully bowled by Dan Vettori.

Chanderpaul’s resilient knock of 36 came to an end shortly after lunch, as he played away from a Kyle Mills delivery and gifted Stephen Fleming his sixth catch of the match.

Rawl Lewis batted well, scoring a quick fire 40, but the tail gave him little support, with Ian Bradshaw and Daren Powell both caught behind the wicket before Lewis himself holed out on the boundary to end the West Indian innings at 215, a lead of just 35.

All of the New Zealand bowlers executed their plans well, though Kyle Mills was probably the pick of the lot, picking up three wickets. As for the West Indian batsman, well it was a case of ‘same performance, different day’; with no one showing enough fight to save the match.

Jamie How and Hamish Marshall knocked off the 36 runs required for victory with ease, giving New Zealand their fifth consecutive test win, a national record.

Match Summary

West Indies 192 R. Morton 63 J. Franklin 5/53

New Zealand 372 S. Fleming 97 P. Fulton 75 N. Astle 65 F. Edwards 5/65

West Indies 215 C. Gayle 68 K. Mills 3/29

New Zealand 36/0 H. Marshall 23*

Cricket Web Man of the Match – S. Fleming