McCullum: We didn't deserve to win

Captain Brendon McCullum lamented an inadequate all-round performance, as New Zealand slipped to a two-wicket defeat to the West Indies in Thursday's first ODI at Eden Park in Auckland.
Captain Brendon McCullum lamented an inadequate all-round performance, as New Zealand slipped to a two-wicket defeat to the West Indies in Thursday's first ODI at Eden Park in Auckland.
Visiting captain Dwayne Bravo's choice to bowl first after winning the toss saw the hosts dismissed for a mere 156 in 42.1 overs, after which the Windies moved to 157 for eight in 27.3.
The fixture was tightly contested, with Bravo's four wickets and former skipper Darren Sammy's cavalier 43 not out enough to afford the Windies an early lead ahead of ODIs two, three, four and five in Napier Queenstown, Nelson and Hamilton respectively.
"In all three facets of the game we weren't at our sharpest. I thought the West Indies bowled excellently, obviously their catching was brilliant and one guy who chanced his arm at the end. Fortune favours the brave I guess," said McCullum.
"It was close. We fought hard, but realistically we probably didn't deserve to win. We kept picking up wickets at key times and in the end it was a pretty close game but it was a thoroughly deserved win for the West Indies."
The right-handed Sammy was named Man of the Match, after striking five fours and a trio of sixes during a 27-delivery cameo that rescued the Windies from a precarious position. The second ODI will be played on Sunday.
Latest
-
News
Lancashire stay top while Surrey extend winning run in Vitality Blast
Somerset’s Rilee Rossouw became the top run-scorer in the competition with 85 against Essex.
-
News
Jason Roy stars as England wrap up Netherlands series with six-wicket win
The opener hit 73 in his 100th one-day international.
-
Holland
Stand-in skipper Scott Edwards spearheads Netherlands recovery in second ODI
Edwards thumped 78 off 73 balls in his side’s 235 for seven against England.
-
News
Phil Salt in tune with Matthew Mott’s England expectations after maiden hundred
Salt hit a sparkling 122 from 93 balls in a 222-run partnership with Dawid Malan against the Netherlands.
-
England
Katherine Brunt quits Tests to concentrate on limited-overs career
The 36-year-old will continue to be available for one-day internationals and Twenty20s.
-
England
On this day: Michael Vaughan steps down as England ODI captain
The Yorkshire batter had taken up the role in 2003.
-
T20 Blast
Sam Hain and Adam Hose power Bears to record total as T20 batters have a Blast
Birmingham made 261 for two in a 55-run win against Nottinghamshire.
-
England
Jos Buttler urges England to strive for better and break 500-run barrier
Buttler hit an unbeaten 162 off just 70 balls.
-
England
England post new world-record total on way to 232-run win over Netherlands
It was also the highest-ever score in a List A match.
-
ODI cricket
Taking a look at the highest scores in One Day International cricket
England have the top three scores in ODI history.