World Cup: Kiwis beat Windies in dramatic affair

Manchester, June 23 (IANS) New Zealand defeated West Indies by 5 runs in a World Cup round robin match here on Saturday.

Asked to bat first, New Zealand posted 291/8 in their 50 overs.

In reply, West Indies were all out for 286 in 49 overs.

Carlos Brathwaite was the top scorer for the West Indies with 101 runs off 82 balls.

West Indies had suffered an early setback when in-from opener Shai Hope was bowled by a Trent Boult scorcher in the third over.

But star opener Chris Gayle posted an uncharacteristically patient 87 off 84 balls while Shimron Hetmyer scored 54 off 45 as the Windies attempted a comeback.

Gayle and Hetmyer added 122 runs between them to bring the West Indies to a relatively comfortable position by the 22nd over.

But as has been the case in all their matches, the West Indies started losing wickets at regular intervals from that point.

Despite Brathwaite's heroic century, the other West Indies batsmen came and went at the other end as the men from the Carribean islands eventually succumbed to yet another defeat.

Boult was the most successful among the Kiwi bowlers with figures of 4/30. Fellow pcer Lockie Ferguson also bowled well for his 3/59. Matt Henry, James Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme bagged a wicket each.

Earlier, West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell recorded his name in the history books as he removed both New Zealand openers -- Martin Guptill and Colin Munro -- for golden ducks in a dramatic first over.

It was only the second time both openers in any World Cup had fallen for first-ball noughts, with Sri Lanka's Lahiru Thirimanne and Tillakaratne Dilshan collecting golden ducks against Afghanistan four years ago.

But they had fallen to two different bowlers -- Dawlat Zadran and Shapoor Zadran.

After West Indies captain Jason Holder won the toss and put New Zealand to bat, left-arm quick Cottrell was on target first ball with a delivery that thudded into the pads of Guptill.

Umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge initially said "not out" but the West Indies successfully reviewed the decision, with replays showing the ball had pitched in line and would have hit the leg stump.

Guptill, who made a World Cup record 237 not out when New Zealand beat the West Indies in a 2015 quarter-final in Wellington, had to go and the Black Caps were none for one.

Misfielding by Carlos Brathwaite allowed New Zealand captain and new batsman Kane Williamson, fresh from his match-winning century against South Africa, to get off the mark with an all-run four.

Williamson then cover-drove Cottrell for three off the fourth ball of the over to leave Colin Munro, his side's other opener on strike.

He too fell first ball, beaten completely by another yorker that smashed into his stumps.

For the second time in the over, Cottrell, still a serving member of the Jamaica Defence Forces, greeted a wicket with his trademark military salute.

Ross Taylor hit a three off the last ball of an extraordinary first over to leave New Zealand 10-2.