West Indies 145 for 3 (Edwards 26*, Bravo 1*) v New Zealand
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Kieran Powell handed West Indies a flying start at Seddon Park with a blistering 73 off 44 balls to give the visitors a position from where to build a strong total as they aim to level the series although they were in danger of wasting his efforts.
Powell hit 12 fours and two sixes before being given lbw to Nathan McCullum, after dominating an opening stand of 95 in 12 overs with Johnson Charles, although he was unlucky with replays showing the ball would have slid past leg stump but the batsman declined to use the available review. The pace slowed after his departure; Charles was run out by Nathan McCullum and Lendl Simmons was taken at point shortly before the midway mark of the innings leaving West Indies needing to rebuild.
Powell dominated the early exchanges after Brendon McCullum had inserted West Indies, confident in his team's ability to chase down a target. That faith could now be tested, although conditions are ideal for batting with an easy-paced surface and rapid outfield.
Powell set the tone in the opening over when he collected consecutive boundaries off Tim Southee and in the paceman's next over another pull carried for six. His innings kicked into an even higher gear during the sixth over of the innings, from Mitchell McClenaghan, which cost 19 runs include three fours and another six - this time it was caught, one-handed, by a supporter in the crowd which earned the lucky man a prize of NZ$100,000.
In an attempt to change the tempo, Brendon McCullum introduced his brother, Nathan, for the seventh over although after a tight first over from the offspinner the runs kept coming at a good clip. Powell's fifty came from 28 balls and he was eyeing a rapid hundred when we went to sweep McCullum and was taken on the boot.
The breakthrough allowed New Zealand to regain some control. Charles was shaping to try and bat through the innings, but misjudged a single into the off side and Nathan McCullum's direct hit from cover found him well short.
West Indies' running continued to be uncertain - there were two further opportunities for direct hits - and in the 13 overs following Powell's wicket there only three further boundaries as Anderson and Kyle Mills put pressure on the batsmen.
New Zealand 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Jesse Ryder, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Brendon McCullum (capt), 6 Corey Anderson, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Nathan McCullum, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Mitchell McClenaghan
West Indies 1 Johnson Charles, 2 Kieran Powell, 3 Kirk Edwards, 4 Lendl Simmons, 5 Dwayne Bravo (capt), 6 Chadwick Walton, 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Andre Russell, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Jason Holder, 11 Nikita Miller
NZ hit back after Powell blitz
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NZ hit back after Powell blitz
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NZ hit back after Powell blitz
