Cricket: Farcical finish to White Ferns' first ODI against the West Indies

Suzie Bates of New Zealand. Photo / Photosport

By RNZ

The White Ferns have beaten the West Indies by five runs in one of the more bizarre finishes to a one-day international cricket match at Antigua.

New Zealand won the match by five runs under the Duckworth-Lewis scoring system, but not before some confusion.

Time ran out for the match to be completed with New Zealand finishing on 159 for five after 33 of their 35 overs chasing 169.

However no one seemed to know who had won until sometime later when the official calculations had been done, with the hosts celebrating before news filtered through that New Zealand were winners via the Duckworth-Lewis method.

After the late start because of rain, the game had to finish at 5:56pm local time and at that stage New Zealand was five runs ahead of the West Indies.

New Zealand won the toss and decided to bowl first with Auckland wicket-keeper Izzy Gaze making her debut.

The Windies got through to 29 before losing their first wicket with Rashada Williams dismissed for 19, while fellow opener Natasha McLean made 20.

They were 74 for five after 20 overs before Kyshona Knight and Chinelle Henry came together to put on 83 for the sixth wicket.

Henry top scored with 44, while Knight made 36 with the Windies finishing on 168-7 from their 35 overs.

Spinner Fran Jonas picked up 2-22 from 7 overs, while medium pacer Jess Kerr took 2-29.

Openers Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates got the run chase through to 54 before the captain was dsmissed for 25.

Bates top scored with 51 and her dismisal gave the locals some hope with the runrate increasing to a run a ball.

Amelia Kerr anchored the Ferns innings with an unbeaten 47, while Maddie made 18.

The umpires stopped the game after 33 of the White Ferns 35 overs and it was eventually announced that New Zealand had won the game.

The second of three ODI's is on Friday morning.

The entire ODI and T20 series is being played in Antigua.

-RNZ