KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Beleaguered West Indies produced yet another wretched batting display to slump to a depressing 90-run defeat in the second Twenty20 International against New Zealand here yesterday.
Chasing a massive 216 at Sabina Park, the Caribbean side were never in the hunt once they plunged to 28 for five in the eighth over, and declined to 125 for nine in the end.
Number 11 Obed McCoy top-scored with an unbeaten 23 while Rovman Powell got 21 but they were the only two to pass 20 as off-spinner Michael Bracewell (3-15) and Mitchell Santner (3-15) scythed through the innings with three wickets apiece.
Man-of-the-Match Glenn Phillips had earlier lashed 76 from 41 balls with four fours and half-dozen sixes, with support from Daryl Mitchell who got a 20-ball 48 and opener Devon Conway, who punched a measured 42 from 34 deliveries.
Left-arm seamer Obed McCoy finished with three for 40 but the Black Caps plundered 64 from the last five overs to post 215 for five – the highest-ever T20I total at Sabina Park and their third highest against West Indies.
“We just didn’t show up today. Obviously New Zealand scored a big total as well. They batted us out of the game and we couldn’t see our way when it came to batting,” said a dejected captain Nicholas Pooran.
“We lost two wickets in the [third] over, myself in the fourth over and we just couldn’t build a partnership from there.
“I felt like we didn’t really bowl well. We could’ve used the pitch a bit more … and we were really indisciplined.
“We keep chatting about the same thing over and over in meetings and whenever we come out on the cricket field we just seem to let ourselves down, and obviously that’s the frustrating part when trying to execute.”
With the Kiwis opting to bat, Conway put on 31 for the first wicket with Martin Guptill (20) and when two wickets fell to McCoy in the fourth over, he added a further 71 for the third with Phillips.
Conway holed out in the deep in the 12th over to give McCoy his third wicket but Phillips took charge in a fourth wicket stand of 83 with Mitchell who blasted two fours and four sixes to also tear into the home side’s attack.
In reply, West Indies suffered a double blow in the third over when Shamarh Brooks (7) missed a slog sweep and was bowled by Santner and opener partner Kyle Mayers (1) picked out long on four balls later.
Pooran (1) perished at the start of the next over from Bracewell, edging a cut at an innocuous delivery to wicketkeeper Conway and Devon Thomas followed in the sixth over to the same bowler, missing a sweep and being adjudged lbw for one at 19 for four.
More tragedy ensued when Shimron Hetmyer was run out for 14 in the eighth over, failing to beat Kane Williamson’s direct throw from short cover at the non-striker’s end, and Jason Holder’s (11) nightmare form continued when he chipped a simple catch to mid on in the 10th over.
Powell and Romario Shepherd (18) added 35 for the seventh before McCoy and Hayden Walsh Jr (10 not out) put on 38 for the last wicket, both stands proving irrelevant to the outcome.
