McCullum: We didn't deserve to win

New Zealand

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 New Zealand

Latest