Boult bowls Black Caps to glory

Black Caps fast bowler Trent Boult took a career-best 7 for 34 to send Windies packing as New Zealand sealed the ODI series with a game to spare.

New Zealand had posted an imposing 325 for 6, after being put in to bat, with the last ten overs seeing 103 runs thanks to a frantic sixth-wicket partnership between Henry Nicholls (83 not out) and Todd Astle (49).

The West Indies needed a strong start but got quite the opposite. Boult had figures of 3 for 6 after his first three overs to derail the run chase.

The visiting side eventually slumped to 121 all out to give New Zealand victory by 204 runs to go with its five-wicket win in the first ODI on Wednesday. Shai Hope’s 23 was the top score for Windies.

While Boult will rightfully get most of plaudits, Lockie Ferguson dented the Windies middle order with three wickets in ten deliveries, including Jason Mohammed and Rovman Powell off successive balls.

Mohammed was craftily bounced out by Ferguson who took the return catch before blasting through Powell with a full, fast and straight delivery.

Earlier, George Worker and Colin Munro got New Zealand off to a flier, before Sheldon Cottrell (3 for 62) snapped up Munro (30) and Neil Broom (6).

There was no let-up from the home side, though, as Worker and Ross Taylor ensured the run rate was better than a run-a-ball in a 58-run partnership before Worked fell to Ronsford Beaton for 58.

Jason Holder, the Windies captain, then reduced New Zealand to 186 for 5, snaring Tom Latham and Taylor in the space of 11 balls, but the visiting side couldn’t drive home the advantage.

Nicholls’s career-best 83 off 62, which featured two sixes and seven fours, and Astle’s 49 off 45, from No. 7, ensured New Zealand finished with a flourish and gave the bowlers ample amount of runs to express themselves.

Hagley Oval hosts the third and final match in the series on Tuesday.

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