New Zealand come out on top in a thriller against the Windies at Manchester
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Carlos Brathwaite’s fighting century was in vain as the West Indies fell 5 runs short in a match which had drama from the first to the last ball. The Windies won the toss and elected to field. Sheldon Cottrell sent both the Kiwi openers for golden ducks. Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor built a wonderful partnership. After seeing off the swinging ball, the pair resorted to drives, pulls and jabs to get risk-free runs. Their 165 run partnership came to and end when Taylor fell to Gayle’s off spin. Williamson ploughed on, reaching his second consecutive hundred. Prior to his wicket, he had faced 390 balls without being dismissed. After some late fireworks from Jimmy Neesham and Colin De Grandhomme, New Zealand finished at 291/8.
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Evin Lewis suffered an injury while fielding, prompting Shai Hope to open with Chris Gayle. Trent Boult varied his lengths without affecting his accuracy. He got the priced wickets of Hope and Pooran. Gayle and Hetmyer went all out attack in a 122 run stand laced with pulls and hoicks to the leg side. Gayle tore into Santner despite being dropped twice in an over. Lockie Ferguson broke the partnership, sending Hetmyer back with a yorker and finding skipper Holder’s edge the next ball. The next over, Gayle’s onslaught came to an end as he found Boult in the deep. Carlos Brathwaite began securely, finding gaps and rotating the strike. The tail wagged in company. After Cottrell was castled by a Ferguson beauty, Brathwaite had last man Oshane Thomas for company. Brathwaite showed his brutality, previously seen in a T20 WC final at Kolkata. He farmed the strike and scored all the 41 runs in the last wicket partnership.
33 were needed of the final three overs. Key bowlers Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson had completed their 10 over quotas. Matt Henry was summoned to bowl the 47th over. Carlos Brathwaite needed no second invitation to go bonkers. After a first ball double, he swatted three massive sixes on the trot and top edged a bouncer. He kept the strike for himself with a single in the last ball. A doable 8 was required in 2 overs. Brathwaite was on 99. The bowler was James Neesham, who almost quit playing the game a few years back. Neesham delivered a series of slower balls to the big man, who missed the first two.
He then banged one short, allowing Brathwaite to complete his maiden century with a pull for two. The last ball was a length ball and Carlos Brathwaite swung at it with all his might. As the ball fell from the sky, Trent Boult sprinted to his right and hung on to the ball, his feet a few inches away from the rope. Agony engulfed Brathwaite as he sunk to the ground. A swarm of New Zealand players rushed to console Brathwaite. He had fought tooth and nail. On air, Ian Bishop said “The dream is diminished for Carlos Brathwaite” with a tone of dejection. The neutrals marvelled at how the drama played out.
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New Zealand have reaffirmed their semi-final chances whereas the Windies will look to mirror Brathwaite’s spirit and fight till the end.
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Originally published at Sporcial.
