West Indies’ batting frailties were once again exposed against New Zealand’s spinners as the visitors secured a six-wicket victory in the third ODI to take a 2-1 lead in the 5-match series here on Thursday.
Despite teenage wrist spinner Vitel Lawes producing another impressive performance to make the tourists work for their win, the Windies batting continues to struggle against quality slow bowling, which continues to hamper the side’s progress.
New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bowl first on the same Providence pitch used for the series opener, where runs proved difficult to come by.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy had urged his side to show greater determination and post bigger totals when batting first to give their bowlers something to defend, but his plea went unheeded as the hosts suffered a dramatic collapse.
The innings began promisingly; however, the turning point came when John Campbell was forced to retire hurt on six, after collapsing with what appeared to be a hamstring injury while sprinting for a single. The opener was stretchered off, leaving the hosts to regroup.
Akeem Auguste played a couple of handsome drives to get to 26, but he went to a brilliant running catch by Santner off Jacob Duffy with 38 runs on the board.
Shai Hope, who had looked settled, fell to Jayden Lennox’s arm ball for the second consecutive match for eight, and Sherfane Rutherford followed shortly for four to leave the host 72 for three in the 20th over.
Keacy Carty and recalled Shimron Hetmyer steadied the ship, taking West Indies to 121, with Hetmyer twice clearing the leg side against Lennox, demonstrating the aggressive intent Sammy had called for.
But the collapse was swift and brutal. Carty, who looked good for 48, was trapped lbw by Michael Bracewell’s turning delivery, and Hetmyer, attempting a third six, picked out deep square leg in Bracewell’s next over for 26.
From 121 for 4, West Indies lost 6 for 19 to slump to 140 for 9, with Lennox completing figures of 4 for 52 from his 10 overs.
The left-arm spinner’s haul saw him equal the record for most wickets by a New Zealand spinner in a bilateral ODI series. The last six wickets fell in just 51 balls, with Gudakesh Motie and Alzarri Joseph both bowled by excellent deliveries from Lennox.
Chasing a modest 141 for victory, New Zealand’s openers Will Young and Henry Nicholls navigated the powerplay cautiously.
Nicholls was twice grateful for the DRS after being given lbw against Motie and Joseph, but Lawes’ introduction changed the complexion of the chase dramatically.
The 19-year-old, playing just his third professional game, struck with his second delivery, skidding one through to remove Nicholls’ off stump for 24.
Lawes continued his impressive spell, trapping Mark Chapman lbw for seven, before Young drove a wide delivery to cover for 23, leaving New Zealand wobbling at 77 for 3.
Daryl Mitchell batted 49 deliveries in a bid to slow the home side’s roll, but he too was then beaten and bowled by a Khary Pierre spinning delivery, and the game hung in the balance at 89 for four.
However, Lawes, despite showing improved control throughout the series, served up two full tosses in his eighth over, which Latham and Dean Foxcroft gratefully dispatched to ease the pressure.
The contest might have taken another twist when Lawes appeared to have Foxcroft lbw with 33 still required, but West Indies failed to review.
Replays confirmed there was no edge, and the ball was hitting halfway up the leg stump.
From there, Latham and Foxcroft ensured there would be no further alarms, sharing an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 52 to guide New Zealand across the line with six wickets in hand.
West Indies now face a must-win situation in the remaining two matches in Barbados to claim the series, needing to address a batting collapse that has become a recurring theme against New Zealand’s spin attack.