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A Masterclass in Spin Bowling in the Caribbean
New Zealand bounced back in style to level the One Day International series against the West Indies, securing a hard-fought five-wicket victory. On a surface that offered significant turn and grip, the visitors capitalised fully on the conditions. The star of the show was undoubtedly spinner Jayden Lennox, who registered a historic five-wicket haul to trigger a dramatic collapse in the West Indies batting order. In a match where spin completely dominated the narrative, the hosts collapsed from a strong position to be bowled out for just 138 runs, allowing New Zealand to chase down the target despite a few nervous moments.
Lennox Writes His Name Into New Zealand Cricket History
Jayden Lennox delivered a career-defining performance that will be remembered as one of the finest displays of spin bowling by a New Zealander. Coming into this match, Lennox had never taken more than two wickets in any of his previous six ODIs. However, he found perfect rhythm and assistance from the pitch, finishing with sensational figures of 5 for 19.
This remarkable spell placed him third on the all-time list of best ODI bowling figures by a New Zealand spinner, sitting only behind Ish Sodhi’s iconic 6 for 39 and legendary former captain Daniel Vettori’s masterclass of 5 for 7. Lennox’s accuracy was immaculate, with his first four wickets all coming from crashing into the stumps. He began by completely beating Shai Hope’s drive to remove his leg stump, setting the tone for what was to follow. Sherfane Rutherford was his next victim, helpless as his defensive stroke bobbled back to dislodge the bails. Gudakesh Motie was then undone on the back foot, followed by Matthew Forde, who fell trying a wild swipe across the line. Lennox completed his historic five-wicket haul by trapping Vitel Lawes leg-before-wicket in a close call to wrap up the innings.
The Spectacular Collapse of the West Indies
The game had started on a completely different note for the home side. Openers John Campbell and Ackeem Auguste put together a promising 63-run opening partnership. They began to accelerate late in the Powerplay, taking 22 runs off the ninth and tenth overs combined. At 63 without loss, the West Indies looked poised for a substantial total. However, the introduction of spin changed the complexion of the match entirely. Michael Bracewell got the crucial initial breakthrough, and from that point, the West Indies innings completely unravelled. The hosts lost all ten wickets for a mere 75 runs.
New Zealand’s spinners exploited the gripping surface with relentless precision, eventually taking nine wickets between them—the most ever shared by New Zealand spinners in a single ODI innings. After initial opening bursts from seamers Jacob Duffy and Matthew Fisher—with Fisher showing impressive pace by hitting 146kph on the speed gun—New Zealand did not bowl another over of pace. Captain Mitchell Santner played a pivotal supporting role, claiming two vital wickets. Santner set up Campbell beautifully; after spinning one sharply down the leg side, he followed up with an arm ball that kept low to clean up the left-hander for 43. He then clean-bowled Keacy Carty, the hero of the first ODI, with a classic delivery that drifted, spun past the bat, and grazed the off stump. Outside of Campbell’s fighting 43, only Amir Jangoo managed to pass the 20-run mark before he was trapped leg-before-wicket by Bracewell.
Latham Steers New Zealand Home Despite Chasing Hurdles
Chasing a modest target of 139, New Zealand’s path to victory was far from smooth, but captain Tom Latham provided the necessary composure. Openers Henry Nicholls and Will Young got the chase off to a solid start with a 35-run stand. However, the West Indies fought back, picking up three quick wickets for just 17 runs. Young was trapped leg-before-wicket by Alzarri Joseph, and Nicholls top-edged a sweep shortly after. The pressure mounted when Mark Chapman was run out for a second-ball duck following a brilliant piece of fielding at cover by Vitel Lawes.
Latham and Daryl Mitchell stabilized the innings, but left-arm spinner Khary Pierre kept the West Indies in the hunt. Pierre dismissed Mitchell, who charged down the track and ran past the delivery, and then trapped Dean Foxcroft leg-before-wicket as the batsman fell over a sweep shot. At 96 for 5, the game hung in the balance. However, Latham (37 not out) and Michael Bracewell showed veteran calmness to guide New Zealand home without further losses. Bracewell played a confident hand, striking two boundaries off Gudakesh Motie to secure the win and, in the process, surpass 1,000 career runs in ODIs.
The Decider Beckons in Guyana
With the three-match series now leveled at 1-1, both teams have everything to play for. The final match of the series will take place in Guyana on Thursday, before the teams head to Barbados for two additional scheduled fixtures. Cricket fans should note a schedule change, as the first match in Barbados on Sunday has been converted into a daytime fixture. Both teams will need to quickly assess the conditions as they battle to claim the series silverware.