Windies secure series win against New Zealand

Tuesday, 7 August 2012 00:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: West Indies secured an impressive 2-0 test series victory over New Zealand on Sunday with Shivnarine Chanderpaul guiding them to a five-wicket win in the second test at Sabina Park, Jamaica on Sunday.

Needing just 71 further runs to win with six second innings wickets remaining, the calm presence of the 37-year-old Guyanese left hander, who finished unbeaten on 43, ensured there was no late scare for the Caribbean side.

Nightwatchman Kemar Roach had some fun, making 41 before he slashed a wide ball from Kane Williamson to Tim Southee at backward point.

Narsingh Deonarine, whose bowling spell of 4-37 turned the game to West Indies favour as New Zealand managed just 154 in their second innings, joined Chanderpaul to see Darren Sammy’s team to their target.

The test series defeat, coming after losing the one day series in the Caribbean, was a disappointing end to New Zealand coach John Wright’s spell in charge of the team and leaves plenty of questions for his successor Mike Hesson to deal with.

The tour included two Twenty20 games, five one day internationals as well as the two tests and all New Zealand could manage was a solitary win in the one-day series.

“It has been a disappointing tour all round,” said skipper Ross Taylor. “We had our chances in this match, like we had chances in a lot of the matches but winning is a habit and we were beaten by a better team at the end of the day. Our batting needs to a take a good hard look at ourselves.”

A tour of India later this month ensures that the young New Zealand team will have little time for contemplation however and they will need to handle spin far better than they did on this tour.

For West Indies, whose next assignment is the Twenty20 World Cup, the victory was reward for coach Ottis Gibson and skipper Darren Sammy who have worked hard to re-establish the Caribbean team through a new generation of players.

“We have gotten the feeling of what it is like to win but it is about continuous hard work now,” said Sammy. The performances are coming from different players at different times and that is the hallmark of a good team,” he added. “The last year or two has been tough for us, we are going to celebrate this now but then it is about getting the wins consistently.”