Rain Denies New Zealand And West Indies
©Action Images / Keith Williams
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Rain Denies New Zealand And West Indies
West Indies 129-5 (Sarwan 38, Southee 2-33) v New Zealand
1st One Day International, Queenstown: Match abandoned
By Aaron Kumar
Rain forced the first ODI between New Zealand and the West Indies to be abandoned after only 35.4 overs of cricket were possible at the Queenstown Events Centre.
New Zealand won the toss and elected to field first after the West Indies were dealt a massive blow when star batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul was ruled out with an injury.
No team has ever won in Queenstown while batting first and the West Indies made a circumspect start to their innings trying to get a feel for the pitch. Sewnarine Chattergoon did hit a couple of lovely shots off the bowling of Mark Gillespie, a pull shot to mid wicket and a cover drive, both of which reach the boundary. The West indies found themselves 38 for no loss after 10 overs.
Gillespie provided New Zealand with their first breakthrough when Chattergoon chopped the ball onto his stumps for 14, to leave the tourists 42 for one in the 12th over.
It got worse for the West Indies just a few balls later, as Chris Gayle (25) was caught by wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum off the bowling of Kyle Mills to leave the tourists wobblinng on 42 for two in the 13th over.
After Gayle's dismissal Ramnaresh Sarwan and Xaiver Marshall set about rebuilding the West Indies innings, Sarwan seemed in particularly good form hitting three delightful boundaries, and the pair put on a partnership of 60 before Sarwan was stumped by McCullum off the bowling of Vettori to leave the West Indies 102 for three in the 29th over.
The tourists then lost Brendan Nash (12) and Kieron Pollard (3) in quick succession as they slumped to 123 for five in the 34th over and New Zealand assumed total control of the contest.
Heavy rain then started to fall in the 36th over with the West Indies score on 129 for five, and after a few hours of waiting around the game was abandoned.
The two sides try again in Christchurch on January 3rd.
© Cricket World 2008
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