Lynn McConnell at AMI Stadium
Ramnaresh Sarwan found his batting form at the perfect time for the West Indies as he guided them to a five-wicket, rain-reduced 28 over win against New Zealand at Christchurch's AMI Stadium on Saturday.
Set a Duckworth-Lewis adjusted target of 158 after New Zealand scored 152-8, Sarwan ended on 67 as the West Indies achieved the win with one ball to spare. Denesh Ramdin was 28 not out off 18 balls.
It became a contest between Sarwan and the New Zealand bowlers. At the wicket since the third over, he worked the ball around, hitting only three boundaries in his first 50 runs, off 55 balls, and battling to get the ball away off the slow surface and past the keen home fielding.
The battle added extra tension to the run chase and the equation demanded improvisation as the Kiwi strangulation was applied through the latter overs.
A six from Kyle Mills' sixth over pulled things back for the visitors while Denesh Ramdin's paddle behind square produced four from a catchable chance inches over the head a diving Mills.
Eighteen runs were required from the last two overs and Sarwan proved the steady hand to ensure the West Indies retained the momentum.
It was a handy win for the tourists with three games left in the series.
Daniel Vettori struck in his first over when capturing Chris Gayle's wicket. But it wasn't before he had conceded a six to wide mid-wicket. However, Vettori had a near leg before wicket appeal denied only to bowl the West Indian captain with a similar next delivery.
He scored 36 from 31 balls and the West Indies were 61-2.
Earlier, Tim Southee bowled Sewnarine Chattergoon for six.
As soon as Gayle was out, Vettori employed his power play and retained Jacob Oram at the other end. It proved decisive as Xavier Marshall followed Gayle to the pavilion three overs later after wafting at a ball to be bowled for two.
Kieron Pollard's resistance was brief, holing out to Ross Taylor in the deep from Kyle Mills' bowling to leave the West Indies 110-5.
Of the New Zealand bowlers, Vettori took 1-28 from six overs, Kyle Mills 1-27 from six while Jacob Oram had 1-25 off five.
New Zealand scored 152-8 with Grant Elliott (30 not out from 27 balls) and Tim Southee (six not out) but the total was adjusted under the Duckworth-Lewis system.
It was always going to be a tough target for the West Indies on the slow pitch and with both Vettori and Jeetan Patel in the New Zealand attack. At one stage in New Zealand's innings with Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor and Oram batting, it went 76 balls without a boundary.
But Oram put paid to that when Chris Gayle came on to bowl, depositing him over long on for six, followed by consecutive fours as 17 runs were taken from the over.
Unfortunately, his chance to continue the assault was ended with Fidel Edwards' return to the bowling crease as Oram failed to get his arms free in swinging a lifting ball to square leg where he was caught by a diving Sewnarine Chattergoon. His 25 runs came off 23 balls.
Grant Elliott played a key innings by shepherding the lower-order through to ensure the overs were played out while also contributing a last over six to end on 30 not out.
New Zealand got over the 150 mark when Southee swung the last ball, bowled by Kieron Pollard, for four.
Four of the West Indies bowlers achieved the statistical oddity of scoring 26 from their overs. Edwards did best with 3-26, while Taylor and Miller finished with 2-26 from six overs, while Pollard's 26 came from two overs.