New Zealand moved 2-1 ahead in their ODI series against West Indies after completing a six-wicket victory in Guyana, with spinner Jayden Lennox producing another decisive bowling performance.
Lennox followed his five-wicket haul in the second ODI with figures of 4/52 as West Indies collapsed from 121/3 to 140 all out. Tom Latham and Dean Foxcroft then shared an unbeaten 52-run partnership to guide New Zealand to 141/4.
West Indies Suffer Another Collapse
West Indies appeared well placed after recovering from the early loss of John Campbell, who was forced to retire hurt with an apparent hamstring injury in the sixth over.
Campbell collapsed after completing a single and had to be taken from the field on a stretcher. Ackeem Auguste then made a promising start before Mitchell Santner produced an excellent running catch from mid-off.
The hosts reached 67/1 in the 17th over, but Lennox dismissed captain Shai Hope with an arm ball for the second match in succession. Sherfane Rutherford followed three overs later after top-edging a reverse sweep to deep point.
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Keacy Carty and the recalled Shimron Hetmyer rebuilt the innings, adding a useful partnership that took West Indies to 121/3. Carty top-scored with 48, while Hetmyer struck two sixes against Lennox in his first ODI appearance since June.
However, Michael Bracewell triggered another dramatic collapse when he trapped Carty lbw. Hetmyer then attempted a third six but found the fielder at deep square leg in Bracewell’s following over.
Lennox returned to run through the lower order, bowling Gudakesh Motie and Alzarri Joseph with two excellent deliveries. He transformed figures of 1/49 after eight overs into 4/52 as West Indies lost their final six wickets for only 19 runs.
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With Campbell unable to resume his innings, West Indies were dismissed for 140.
Lawes Gives West Indies Hope
New Zealand began their chase cautiously on a surface where batting remained difficult. Will Young and Henry Nicholls negotiated the powerplay, although Nicholls successfully overturned two lbw decisions through DRS against Motie and Joseph.
Vitel Lawes changed the direction of the innings after being introduced into the attack. The 19-year-old bowled Nicholls with his second delivery before trapping Mark Chapman lbw.
Young then drove a wide delivery to cover, leaving New Zealand in trouble at 77/3. Lawes continued his impressive introduction to international cricket by maintaining good control despite occasionally offering scoring opportunities.
West Indies strengthened their position when Khary Pierre dismissed Daryl Mitchell, bringing Latham and Foxcroft together with the chase still delicately balanced.
Latham and Foxcroft Finish the Chase
The pressure eased when Lawes delivered two full tosses in his eighth over, allowing Latham and Foxcroft to collect valuable boundaries.
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West Indies also missed an important opportunity when they chose not to review an lbw appeal against Foxcroft on 9. The umpire signalled a run, but replays showed there was no inside edge and ball-tracking suggested the delivery would have hit leg stump.
Lawes would have completed a fourth wicket had the decision been reviewed, with New Zealand still requiring 33 runs.
Instead, Foxcroft remained at the crease and combined with Latham to complete the chase without further damage. Latham finished unbeaten on 31 as New Zealand reached their target with six wickets in hand.
Lawes ended with impressive figures of 3/39, but West Indies’ batting collapse ultimately proved too costly.
Jayden Lennox’s nine wickets across the last two matches have also taken him level with the record for the most wickets by a New Zealand spinner in a bilateral ODI series.
West Indies must now win both remaining matches in Barbados to claim the series.
