The Guyana leg of this 5-match series comes to an end with New Zealand overshadowing the West Indies over the course of the last 2 matches. The hosts had started well with a win in the first game but have not been able to notch up anything half that decent post it. They currently trail by 1-2 and need to bring their best out and win both the remaining matches if they are to seal the series.
We now move to Barbados for the final two ODIs, the first one of which will be an early morning start at 10 AM Local Time (7:30 PM IST) on the 19th of July.
On this note, I, Manan Mehta would like to take your leave on behalf of my colleagues Karthik Raj, Dev Rajawat, Akshay Bhide, Zeeshan Naiyer and Bishal Mandal. Ciao!!!
Mitchell Santner (New Zealand Captain):"]About the bowling performance] Yeah, toss helps obviously. On pitches like this where it does a bit, you keep things simple. Powerplay is the easiest phase to bat and after that it gets challenging when the ball gets older especially during the day. They had a couple of good partnerships but we knew we just needed to keep taking wickets and then it was nice to get them out for 140.
[Is he surprised with Jayden Lennox's performances?] Not at all. He has done it for a long time back home on pitches that don't spin. Coming over here, it has been nice as a spin group, four of us in the last couple of games. Just keep it nice and simple, when you screw in into the wicket, there was a little bit in there which was nice Jayden is very accurate and he has shown that in the last couple of games. Lot of bowleds and LBWs. I think he keeps things pretty simple, just attacks the stumps and sees what happens.
[What are his plans when he bowls on such a surface?] Yeah for me, at the start of the spell, I was trying to see which delivery was more effective. The faster ones were a bit more skiddy. There was more turn when I bowled slower. I tend to bowl slower than everyone else. Beast Bracewell, Foxcroft, Lennox and myself, all slightly different. So, it is nice to see have different guys operating as well."
Shai Hope (West Indies Captain):"[About their batting effort] It is always challenging batting first in Guyana. I have not been a good captain in terms of winning the tosses. They bowled well but we still need to find ways to score. We need to leave these two games in Guyana here. We are going to Barbados, a different country and different conditions. It is about finding ways to perform in those conditions when we get there.
[What are the challenges for the batters in Guyana?] There is a lot to speak about to be honest. Bounce is pretty inconsistent. Spin, even if the bowlers put revs, some would slide and keep low, some will spin and bounce. So, It is trying to get into strong positions and finding ways to score when they bowl good balls. You need to have luck as well which we probably didn't have. They had a lot of close shouts. It is always going to be challenging playing in these conditions but we need to find ways to be better.
[What do you take from these three games?] The only thing to take is 2-1. We are down in the series. We need to comeback and win that first game for sure. First, we need to see what is in front of us, assess those conditions and hopefully get a better result.
[About Vitel Lawes] He is bowling very well. He is something we have been looking for, some wrist-spinning options. He has come in and settled in very nicely. Very consistent. After that first game, the nerves have settled down. It is only one way up from here. He is bowling really well, it is just about continuing and capitalizing when you get these conditions."
Jayden Lennox (Player of the Match):"[On getting back-to-back POTMs] I suppose its pleasing but I don't play the game for personal awards. To go up 2-1 is more pleasing and we want to go home with the series win. To take a step towards that is pleasing.
[What are you thoughts while bowling in these conditions?] There is no secret to that, just keep the stumps in play and let the pitch do what it does. You can't control if we put the ball in the right areas, we are going to get some reward.
[Is there some uncertainty from the surfaces?] There is a certainly a level of variability. Obviously, there is some subtlety with the wrist position and stuff. The big thing is if you put the seam in the right position, the pitch is going to assist you.
[Bowling alongside Mitchell Santner] He has obviously been a big inspiration for my craft as a left-arm orthodox bowler in New Zealand conditions. Perhaps 12 months ago, it was a long-shot to play alongside him. Been pretty cool to lean on him and learn from him as well.
[What has pleased you the most so far] Just the adaptability from the whole bowling unit. We weren't happy with how we executed in Game 1. To pick up and bounce back from that is pleasing."
Jayden Lennox gets the 'Player of the Match' award.
Time for the post-match Presentation!
5:50 AM IST, 8:20 PM Local Time: New Zealand win by 6 wickets and lead the series 2-1! This has been another clinical chase from New Zealand. It almost felt like the repeat of the second ODI. On the back of a fine bowling performance, their batters did not disappoint. With that they take the lead in this 5-match series at 2-1.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl first. They got rid of John Campbell early after the left hander limped off to an unfortunate hamstring injury. Post that Ackeem Auguste (26), Keacy Carty (48) and Shimron Hetmyer (26) contributed well to push the score to 121/3 before a disastrous collapse took place. It was Jayden Lennox' left arm spin that once again foxed the hosts. They slipped from 121/3 to 140/9 which was effectively All Out with Campbell not being able to bat. The spin trio from New Zealand took 8 off the 9 wickets to fall and kept things extremely quiet in the middle overs to bowl out the hosts for 140 in 37.1 overs. The pick of the bowlers were Jayden Lennox (4/52), Mitch Santner (2/15) and Michael Bracewell (2/33).
The chase was always going to be easy if the Kiwis notched up some valuable partnerships and stayed away from a collapse. That is exactly what happened. The openers came out and played with great application. They added 38 for the first wicket. Henry Nicholls was given out LBW twice in that phase but on both occasions, he successfully overturned the call. However, it was the 19-year-old Vitel Lawes who went past Nicholls and cleaned him up for 24 to give the hosts their first breakthrough.
Mark Chapman at number 3 looked uncomfortable against the spin from the onset and was trapped in front for 7 by Lawes reducing the Kiwis to 50/2. Daryl Mitchell joined Will Young at that stage, and they steadied the ship for the visitors with some quality stroke play. They added 27 runs for the 3rd wicket before Vitel Lawes took his third and got rid of Young for 23. The 4th wicket fell at 89 when Daryl Mitchell was cleaned up Khary Pierre for 28. It felt like West Indies had a chance to make a match out of this with quick wickets.
However, all those talks were put to bed by a calm and stable 52-run unbeaten partnership between Tom Latham and Dean Foxcroft. The pair saw their side over the finish line and completed the chase with 6 wickets and 63 balls to spare. The pick of the bowlers for the hosts were Vitel Lawes (3-39) and Khary Pierre (1-26).
OVER 40
New Zealand
141/4
Dean Foxcroft
22(28)
Tom Latham
31(53)
Keacy Carty
0-2(0.3)
39.3 Keacy Carty to Dean Foxcroft
1 THAT'S THAT! Full outside-off at 81.0 kph, Foxcroft comes forward and pushes it to point for a single. Fantastic patience and discipline as New Zealand seal a six-wicket win to take a 2-1 lead in the series!