Match Highlights, West Indies vs New Zealand, ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Kiwis win by 5 runs despite Carlos Brathwaite blitz

West Indies captain Jason Holder:

Tough game at the very end, but I’m proud of the guys, especially Carlos Brathwaite, well supported by guys like Shimron Hetmyer and Chris Gayle who had great knocks.

If you look at the entire game, you can probably pin point some area where we failed. But having said that, I think we came back well. Credit to the guys for the way they fought, I don’t think you can fault the efforts.

We lost wickets at crucial stages, I feel like mabye Hetmyer got out at the wrong time. 

We have to win all three matches. We still have a lot to play for, we will play for pride and we’ll try to finish the tournament on a high note.

Smallest victories for New Zealand by runs in ICC ODI WCs:

3 v Zimbabwe, Hyderabad, 1987

5 v West Indies, Manchester, 2019*

11 v England, Ahmedabad, 1996

That gripping finish was a wonderful moment of triumph and disaster. 

If it was a meter further and that was 6, West Indies had won. But it wasn’t.

This is what cricket can do. Hours of build up. Plenty of mistakes by both sides, plenty of quality plays, but it all came down to that one meter.

What a game.

New Zealand v West Indies:

Last four ODI WC matches: NZ, NZ, NZ, NZ

Last five ODIs: NZ, NZ, NZ, NZ, NZ

Centuries batting at No.6 or lower in an ODI WC match while chasing:

Kevin O’Brien v England, Bangalore, 2011

Jos Buttler v Pakistan, Nottingham, 2019

Carlos Brathwaite v New Zealand, Manchester, 2019*

After 49 overs,West Indies 286/10 ( Oshane Thomas 0 , )

OUT!  Brathwaite c Boult b Neesham 101(82) 

New Zealand beat West Indies by five runs. 

It’s over. Windies’ heart has been broken. That pulled shot looked like it was traveling over the fence only for Boult to take an amazing catch just ahead of the fence. The big boundary helped the Kiwis.

After 48 overs,West Indies 284/9 ( Carlos Brathwaite 99 , Oshane Thomas 0)

That over costed New Zealand 25 runs and the equation is now down to eight in 12 balls. Brathwaite ruled the roost in the over as he smashed Henry all over the park for three sixes and a four.

After 47 overs,West Indies 259/9 ( Carlos Brathwaite 74 , Oshane Thomas 0)

The equation is now down to 33 in last three overs and it’s largely because of Brathwaite as he continues fighting. Added a six in the over as he smoked the ball, which was in the slot, over longoff. Ferguson finishes his spell with figures of 10-0-59-3.

After 46 overs,West Indies 252/9 ( Carlos Brathwaite 67 , Oshane Thomas 0)

After the loss of Cottrell and few quiet overs, Brathwaite decided to play his shots in search of runs. Drilled the first ball down the ground for a four. Got a double through midwicket. And a single. Excellent spell of Boult comes to an end with match figures of 10-1-30-4. 40 more needed.

After 45 overs,West Indies 245/9 ( Carlos Brathwaite 60 , )

Ferguson has done the job here. He has dismissed Cottrell to break the frustrating partnership. The raw pace got past the defense of Cottrell to crash into the stumps. 47 more needed.

OUT! Cottrell b Ferguson 15(26)

The pace of Ferguson was too hot to handle for Cottrell. He wanted to defend the last ball of the over but the pace beat his defense to clatter into the stumps.

After 44 overs,West Indies 244/8 ( Carlos Brathwaite 59 , Sheldon Cottrell 15)

Boult has been called into the attack to affect a dismissal. Brathwaite took a single on first ball and left Cottrell to face the next five deliveries but he did well. Leaping with the every ball to bunt it down on the ground to avoid any risks, playing close to the body. 48 more needed.

After 43 overs,West Indies 243/8 ( Carlos Brathwaite 58 , Sheldon Cottrell 15)

Windies need less than fifty now to win. Williamson needs to bring in his best bowlers now to shut the match or will have to pay later. Cottrell did excellently well to negotiate the Neesham over, finding two boundaries as well. Eight off the over. 49 more needed.

After 42 overs,West Indies 235/8 ( Carlos Brathwaite 58 , Sheldon Cottrell 7)

Brathwaite adds a four with a cut past the short third man fielder with Santner bowling wide and short. Threw his bat on another delivery as the thick edge fell just ahead of the short third man fielder. Eight off the over. 57 more needed.

After 41 overs,West Indies 227/8 ( Carlos Brathwaite 51 , Sheldon Cottrell 6)

Brathwaite, who has been the hero of this rearguard resistance, completes his fifty in 52 balls. His second in ODIs. Six off the over. 65 more needed in nine overs.

After 40 overs,West Indies 222/8 ( Carlos Brathwaite 47 , Sheldon Cottrell 5)

Four off the over from Santner and we are now into the final powerplay. Windies need 70 in the last 10 overs to win.

After 39 overs,West Indies 218/8 ( Carlos Brathwaite 46 , Sheldon Cottrell 2)

And Henry has responded with a wicket, breaking the resistance of Roach and Brathwaite. Roach was looking to play the cut shot but got beaten by pace as he edged his shot to the keeper. Sheldon Cottrell is the new batsman. Four on the last ball for Brathwaite as the outside edge ran past the keeper. 74 in 66 needed.

OUT! Roach c Latham b Matt Henry 14(31) 

The stubborn partnership has been broken as Henry takes his first wicket. Roach was looking to flirt with the outside off short ball and edged it to the keeper trying to play the cut shot.

After 38 overs,West Indies 211/7 ( Carlos Brathwaite 41 , Kemar Roach 14)

And now Santner has been called back into attack. Got the ball to grip and turn which means there is some help in the pitch for spinners. One from the over and Windies need 81 in 72.

After 37 overs,West Indies 209/7 ( Carlos Brathwaite 40 , Kemar Roach 13)

Henry back into attack. The pacer have had an expensive night but New Zealand will be hoping for a breakthrough from him now. Just one from this over which included a sharp shooter which Roach tapped down in time to avoid any injury. 83 in 78 needed.

The West Indian bowlers are teaching a lesson to the West Indian batsmen. Brathwaite and Roach are playing sensible cricket, rotating the strike and hitting the bad balls. 

If they had a couple more wickets in hand, they would even be favorites. But they’re being asked to do this for too long, and it’s the job that the batsmen should be doing, exactly how the batsmen should have been doing it.

After 36 overs,West Indies 208/7 ( Carlos Brathwaite 39 , Kemar Roach 13)

Ferguson continues. Two from the over. Roach did excellently well to avert danger on the last ball by blocking the yorker. 84 in 84 needed.

After 35 overs,West Indies 206/7 ( Carlos Brathwaite 38 , Kemar Roach 12)

Poor over from CDG. Strayed onto the leg side twice and it was duly helped on its way to fine leg fence by Brathwaite for two boundaries. 10 off the over. Windies need 86 in 90 balls.