50 overs New Zealand 285 for 6 (Guptill 81) v West Indies
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Worries over the weather spoiling the first ever ODI in Nelson were eased when the sell-out crowd was greeted by blue skies and bright sunshine on Saturday morning. The news wasn't as good for West Indies, as an already injury-hit squad was depleted further thanks to a broken finger to the experienced Ravi Rampaul. That meant the visitors are without at least six first-choice players and were down to 12 available players.
New Zealand finished on 285, two more than what they plundered in Queenstown, though this time they had the full 50 overs and produced a more conventionally paced innings. It was a combined effort from New Zealand's batsmen, with each of the top four making 47 or more, though only Martin Guptill went on to a half-century, top scoring with 81.
It's been a difficult tour so far for West Indies, and their mood didn't improve as they put down two sitters off Jesse Ryder early in the innings, Jason Holder the unlucky bowler on both occasions. First, Denesh Ramdin somehow missed the most straightforward of chances for a wicketkeeper - it was off a quick bowler, an outside edge off that came straight at Ramdin at a good height, but he closed the gloves too early. A couple of overs later, the captain Dwayne Bravo - on his day, one of the most electric fielders in the world - let through a simple chance above shoulder height at slip.
Even with those basic fielding mistakes, West Indies did a reasonable job early on. Holder gave nothing away, conceding only nine off his five-over spell, including two maidens to a struggling Guptill, who plodded to 2 off 29 deliveries as he searched for form.
At the other end, Tino Best was mostly wayward, and received some punishment from Ryder, who played a range of flamboyant strokes in a chance-filled 47 at nearly a run-a-ball. Finally, Ryder's luck ran out as the two men who had reprieved him earlier combined to dismiss him - Bravo bowling outside off for a nick to be safely collected by Ramdin.
Guptill started to grow in confidence after spending time in the middle, and the release finally came when he pummelled Bravo over long-off for a six in the 17th over. He had been 8 off 40 before that shot. With the spinners coming on, Gutpill and new batsman Kane Williamson worked the bowling to score above five an over without taking much risk. Williamson used his feet adeptly, regularly moving across the stumps to manoeuvre the ball around.
By the time Williamson was dismissed in the 32nd over, top-edging a pull to the keeper, New Zealand had moved to 144 for 2, setting the stage for the lengthy list of power-hitters to follow. Ross Taylor didn't produce many big hits but still motored along. Guptill took to Best at the start of the batting Powerplay, with a chip over long-on for six being a standout stroke, before he perished in the 42nd over.
With plenty of wickets still in hand, New Zealand's batsmen had the freedom to go for it towards the close and their swinging yielded 92 in the final 10 overs, finished off by a monster hit over long-on by man-of-the-moment Corey Anderson.
It should prove enough against a West Indies batting that inspires little confidence, and is bereft of most of their match-winners.
Solid New Zealand finish on 285
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Solid New Zealand finish on 285
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Solid New Zealand finish on 285
