New Zealand clinched a narrow seven-run victory over West Indies in the first ODI, riding on a brilliant century from Daryl Mitchell and a disciplined all-round bowling performance. With this win, the Blackcaps have taken a 1–0 lead in the three-match series.
The match, played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday, November 16, offered plenty of twists as both teams fought hard until the final over. Here’s a detailed look at how the opening ODI unfolded.
Daryl Mitchell’s century lifts New Zealand to a competitive total
New Zealand, after being sent to bat first, were shaken in the early stages as both Rachin Ravindra and Will Young were dismissed within the power play. Forde was the one to make the breakthrough with the new ball and Seales kept the pressure on with his tight lines.
In the next phase of the game, Conway and Mitchell put on a very important partnership to stabilise the innings. Conway was unfortunate to not get a half-century, but Mitchell went on to dominate the middle overs, combining with various players to lay a strong foundation for the innings. He finally raised his well-made hundred, thus, aiding New Zealand to a score of 269 for 7. West Indies' Seales was the most successful bowler, claiming 3 wickets for 41 runs; however, the visitors' poor fielding performance gave them a number of chances that they could have taken.
West Indies lost John Campbell cheaply as he returned to ODI cricket in his third ball. After the dismissal of Alick Athanaze and Keacy Carty, the duo tried to rebuild the innings but couldn’t score freely as Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson bowled very well. Only 32 runs were scored in the first six overs.
After the powerplay, New Zealand continued bowling' tight line and length with Jacob Duffy and Mitchell Santner doing the job from the other end. After the removal of Alick Athanaze by Santner, Jamieson got a quick wicket to send Carty back, the West Indies' runaway goal under pressure. Captain Shai Hope had to take the responsibility of the innings as the required rate kept increasing.
Sherfane Rutherford started to hit the ball hard and regularly, and this gave the momentum back to the West Indies while Romario Shepherd's late hitting kept the fight going. But, wickets kept falling in important moment,s and therefore, the West Indies were not able to progress. It was Jamieson's 3 for 52 that helped New Zealand win the match. The Black Caps were able to keep their nerve and thus, win by just seven runs.
