Sammy stars as West Indies wins one

The West Indies cricket team had its first success on the current tour to New Zealand when they won in an exciting low scoring contest versus the Kiwis in the first one day match of the series.

New Zealand batted first after Bravo won the toss and sent them in and was faced with some intense fast bowling by Ravi Rampaul and Jason Holder.  They were soon in early trouble as they lost wickets with some regularity.

To compound their problems, their star batsman, Ross Taylor was brilliantly run out by Holder after a mix up with Brendon Mc Cullum.

Thereafter the struggle continued as Captain Dwayne Bravo struck some telling blows to have the black caps reeling at 112 for 9.

It took a stubborn partnership by Nathan Mc Cullum and Nc Clenaghan to bring some semblance of respectability to the eventual total of 156.

The New Zealand team obviously intended to make a match of it and after hitting one boundary, Kieran Powell left alone one which was pitched dead on stumps and had his off stump removed.

The West Indies faltered thereafter and Lendl Simmons was the stand out batsman but it needed a lot more.

West Indies were precariously placed at 96 for 6.  Enter Daren Sammy.  The beleaguered test Captain came out like a man possessed.  He had already had a torrid time with the ball, even though his fielding generally lived up to its usual high standards.  It was as if someone had told him that a freak storm had recently ravished his native St.Lucia and other Widnward islands or maybe the thought process was. ‘it cannot get any worse.’ Whatever it was, he played an absolute blinder. His 43 not out came from just  27 balls and included 5 fours and 3 maximums.

There was one close call for leg before wicket and the whole of New Zealand held their breath but  the onfield umpire’s ruling of not out was maintained and then Sammy finished the match in a hurry with a towering six followed by a dismissive four and then punched the air in celebration.

The entire West indies team to man ,ran onto the field in jubilation.  After all, winning has become something foreign on this tour and it was a great feeling to be on the winning side.

Summarized scores: West Indies 157 for 8 (Sammy 43*, Simmons 34; McClenaghan 5-58)New Zealand 156 (Brendon McCullum 51, Nathan McCullum 47, Bravo 4-44)

West Indies win by 2 wickets