Table of Contents
After having beaten New Zealand by five wickets in the first ODI on Wednesday, August 15, West Indies stand a great chance to register their first series win over the Blackcaps since 2012.
Having been clean swept 0-3 each by Pakistan (away), Bangladesh and India (both home) in their most recent ODI assignments, West Indies made a strong statement in the first of three ODIs against New Zealand at the Kensington Oval on August 17, registering a clinical five-wicket win.
It was their first ODI victory against the Kiwis in over a staggering eight years (since January 2014), and with it, Nicholas Pooran’s men have a genuine chance to register their first series win over the opponents since their 4-1 win at home in 2012. The hosts would aim for a repeat in the second game to be played at the same venue on Friday to close out the series.
Shahmarh Brooks carried the chase with a gritty 79, and the Windies would need more from the experienced Pooran, Shai Hope and the rest if they are to challenge the visitors once again.
As for New Zealand, the No.1 team in the ICC Rankings currently, the setback against the ninth-ranked team acts as a wake-up call, and they’d need to put their batting together after being skittled out for 190 in 45.2 overs in the first game. The bowling is well-rounded with seasoned speedsters Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson, to go with quality spin-bowling all-rounders in Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell.
Key players
Shai Hope has registered three hundreds this season – one each against Netherlands, Pakistan and India – but hasn’t crossed 26 in any of his other 10 outings in the period.
A glue that so often holds West Indies’ batting together, Hope holds the key to the team’s success, and possesses the technique and flair to weather the quality New Zealand attack. His scores against the opponents till date read 0, 23, 2, 1 and 26, making for an average of a paltry 10.40, and the right-hander would be keen to set that record straight in the upcoming two games.
‘Spin to win’ has been the formula to success in the Caribbean of late, as was evident on Monday, when Akeal Hosein, Yannic Cariah and young Kevin Sinclair spun a web around the opponents with their highly disciplined spells.
Hosein dismissed openers Martin Guptill and Finn Allen, and later Devon Conway in quick succession to put New Zealand on the backfoot by the 15th over of the first ODI, after which the innings never quite got off. He could once again be the game-changer against a line-up that has its vulnerabilities against spin early on.
Kane Williamson, playing his first ODI since March 2020, just the fourth since the 2019 World Cup final, top-scored with 34 in New Zealand’s effort of 190 all-out in the first ODI. Blackcaps’ undoing in the defeat was that of batters failing to convert their starts, with six of the top-eight scoring in twenties. The visitors need someone to bat through their innings, and Williamson, boasting an average of 47.38 with 39 fifties and 13 hundreds in the format, is arguably the best fit to do so in a must-win contest.
Such has been the quality and consistency from Trent Boult that he maintains his top-position in the ICC ODI rankings for bowlers, despite having played just five ODIs since the 2019 World Cup final. In the last of those, the series opener, the left-arm quick returned 2/49 from 10 overs, dismissing Kyle Mayers and Shamarh Brooks. Known to rattle opponent top-orders with his supreme control with the new ball, and his death bowling expertise, Boult remains the Blackcaps spearhead and a premier-match winner across formats.
Prediction
West Indies’ win in the opening game of the series was followed by an eight-wicket victory in the third and final T20I on Monday after they had lost the series already, suggesting signs of a resurgence. However, they have had their struggles in producing consistency for long periods, which has been their undoing in the longer versions for quite some time now.
New Zealand would see the defeat on Wednesday as an eye-opener, and would still be confident of making a comeback with enough match-winners in their ranks on all fronts, with a fine blend of experience and youth.
Expect the visitors to win the second-game, to push the three-match series in the decider to be played at the same venue on Sunday, August 21.
