Dominant New Zealand completes a 3-0 series victory in Christchurch, with Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner collecting three wickets apiece
Match Report:
ScorecardBlack Caps ease to 66-run ODI win
New Zealand have completed a clean sweep in their ODI series against the West Indies with a 66-run win in the rain-hit third match at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Set a target of 166 from 23 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis system after the Black Caps had stuttered their way to 4-131, the Windies finished on 9-99.
Stand-in skipper Tom Latham paid tribute to his hard-working bowlers in the cool, overcast conditions at Hagley Oval.
"The way the boys came out and did the job with the ball was outstanding," he said.
Matt Henry got the Kiwis off to the best possible start in removing Chris Gayle for four with the last ball of the first over, caught at point by Colin Munro.
Henry, who finished with figures of 2-18, also trapped Kyle Hope lbw for two early in the third over.
But it was Boult (3-18) who played the decisive role, grabbing the wicket of Shai Hope for two with the third ball of his first over.
He went on to remove both Jason Mohammed (one) and Chad Walton for a duck in his second to leave the Windies 9-5 inside four overs.
Image Id: 03A61685A32D4A2897609C712E6219EC Image Caption: Trent Boult celebrates the wicket of Chadwick Walton // Gettty
Skipper Jason Holder and Rovman Powell put on 48 for the sixth wicket, before the guile of Mitchell Santner (3-15) ended the partnership in removing Powell for 11.
New Zealand had been teetering at 83-3 after 19 overs when increasingly steady rain forced the players from the field just before 12.30pm, with the game eventually restarting nearly five hours later.
A 73-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Latham and Ross Taylor set the match back on track after the Black Caps had slumped to 26-3 midway through the sixth over.
Latham made 37 off 42 balls, then Taylor (47) and Henry Nicholls (18 ) added 32 runs off the final 21 balls in an unbeaten stand.
Latham said focus had been important in New Zealand's recovery after losing three early wickets.
"It was more about building a partnership with Ross, and trying to take it as deep as possible," he said.
"I don't think we forecast as much rain, but it was nice that we managed to get back out there, increase the run rate a little bit, and then the guys came out and did the job with the ball."
The Kiwis comfortably won the first two ODIs, the first by five wickets in Whangarei last Wednesday, and the second by 204 runs at Hagley Oval on Saturday.