Match-winner Lennox puts New Zealand back in the hunt


Lennox produced a match-winning spell to lead New Zealand to victory and level the ODI series. Lennox takes five Lennox starred with the ball, picking up 5 wickets and tearing through the opposition batting lineup. The win means the ODI series is now level, with New Zealand bouncing back after the previous game. Lennox’s spell was the key moment, shifting momentum and giving New Zealand control of the match. Lennox, who had not taken more than two wickets in his previous six ODIs, went through West Indies' middle order with the first four of his successes being bowled. His final return left him behind just Ish Sodhi's 6 for 39 and Daniel Vettori's 5 for 7 among New Zealand spinners. Tom Latham and Michael Bracewell held their nerve to guide New Zealand home after a mid-innings collapse threatened the chase. Solid start, then a slide Henry Nicholls and Will Young put on 35 for the opening stand. But New Zealand lost 3 for 17 — Young lbw to Alzarri Joseph, Nicholls top-edging a sweep, and Mark Chapman run out for a second-ball duck after a sharp piece of fielding by Vitel Lawes at cover. Another jolt from spin Latham and Daryl Mitchell steadied things, before Khary Pierre struck twice. Mitchell was beaten by the left-arm spinner and Dean Foxcroft missed a sweep to leave NZ 96 for 5.Latham and Bracewell finish it. Latham and Bracewell then saw it through calmly. Bracewell hit a couple of boundaries off Gudakesh Motie and passed 1000 ODI runs in the process. From there New Zealand had plenty of room to get over the line. The nine wickets shared between New Zealand's spinners was their most in an ODI innings. After the initial opening spells from Jacob Duffy and Matthew Fisher - the latter who pushed the speed gun to 146kph - New Zealand did not use pace again. Early momentum and two middle-order wobbles made it tricky, but Latham’s composure and Bracewell’s milestone knock saw New Zealand home comfortably. The series continues with one more match in Guyana on Thursday before the final two are staged in Barbados. The first of those on Sunday has been changed to a day game. New Zealand 141 for 5 (Latham 37*) beat West Indies 138 (Campbell 43, Lennox 5-19) by five wickets.