New Zealand survive Motie scare to clinch ODI series

A thrilling win helped New Zealand seal the ODI series against the West Indies as they won the fourth ODI by one wicket to go 3-1 up in the series with one game still to go. Skipper Mitchell Santner starred with an all-round performance, bagging 2 for 36 to restrict West Indies to 188 before scoring an unbeaten 34 to take them over the line in the 45th over.

Matthew Fisher also came up with a good performance with the ball, finishing with 3 for 40 while Mark Chapman (80) and Michael Bracewell (2 for 35 and 32) also contributed in the win. For West Indies, Gudakesh Motie's maiden five-wicket haul (5 for 47) along with a handy 41 earlier in the game, went in vain.

After being asked to bat, West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals and slipped to 81 for 6. Despite Ackeem Auguste getting off to a promising start, scoring 33 off 50, he did not receive much support from the other end and eventually became the fourth wicket to fall. With Shai Hope, Sherfane Rutherford and Matthew Forde falling in single digits, West Indies were in a lot of trouble even before reaching the half-way stage of their innings.

Amir Jangoo and Motie led the revival with an 81-run stand for the seventh wicket. Jangoo struck four boundaries in his 73-ball stay for 51 runs while Motie struck three fours and a six in his 56-ball outing. Together, the duo batted for nearly 20 overs before Fisher ended the partnership with the wicket of Motie. Jangoo, who brought up his second ODI fifty soon after Motie's dismissal, also fell to Fisher. Only 17 runs were added after that as Jayden Lennox and Bracewell wrapped up the innings.

New Zealand suffered an early setback in the chase as Henry Nicholls was out for a duck, caught-behind off Forde in the opening over, while Nick Kelly handed a catch back to the same bowler in his next over to leave New Zealand at 6 for 2. Will Young and Chapman struck regular boundaries to take New Zealand forward but the third wicket stand worth 40 ended when Jayden Seales had Young caught behind. West Indies kept things tight, despite Chapman scoring two sixes off Vitel Lawes, as Tom Latham struggled to get going before falling to Motie for 5 off 14, leaving New Zealand at 77 for 4.

Chapman was joined by Bracewell as they put on a 65-run stand for the fifth wicket, getting the runs at a brisk pace to transfer the pressure back on West Indies. Chapman brought up his fifty with a six off Motie while Bracewell struck a maximum off Alzarri Joseph, and the two batters combined to score three fours in an over off Seales. Chapman also got a six off Forde before top-edging a slog-sweep off Motie.

It was 142 for 5 when Chapman got out, and it soon became 167 for 8 as Motie accounted for the wicket of Bracewell after a rain break and followed it up with the scalp of Jacob Duffy, while Nathan Smith was bowled by Joseph. Meanwhile, Santner was getting boundaries regularly and even struck a six off Motie to take New Zealand closer to the target. West Indies edged ahead when Motie bagged his fifth wicket by having Fisher bowled, leaving New Zealand at 180 for 9. But Santner stayed till the end to help New Zealand over the finish line in the 45th over, and was supported by Lennox who survived 10 deliveries without adding any run.

Brief scores: West Indies 188 in 44.4 overs (Amir Jangoo 51, Gudakesh Motie 41; Matthew Fisher 3-40, Mitchell Santner 2-36) lost to New Zealand 189/9 in 44.1 overs (Mark Chapman 80, Mitchell Santner 34*; Gudakesh Motie 5-47) by 1 wicket.