The Black Caps have secured a second-straight one-day international series whitewash, courtesy of a four-wicket victory over the West Indies in Hamilton.
Chasing 162 for victory, the Black Caps completed their win in 30.3 overs, ticking off their target with 117 balls up their sleeve, even if a batting order wobble made things harder than they should have been.
Regardless, for a side missing the likes of Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips and Will O’Rourke – among others – a series sweep will be gratefully accepted by a fresh-look Black Caps outfit.
With a 3-0 win over England already in the bank this summer, New Zealand pushed their 50-over record to six wins and no defeats under Rob Walter, reinforcing the Black Caps’ world ranking of second in ODIs.
As was the case with the Twenty20 series finale in Dunedin earlier in the tour, the West Indies saved their worst performance for last, having pushed the Black Caps to seal last-over victories in the first two matches in Christchurch and Napier respectively.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the tourists made 161 before they were bowled out in 36.2 overs as Matt Henry led a Kiwi bowling unit that hunted as a pack.
Henry claimed 4/43 with the ball – his 11th haul of four or more wickets in an ODI – and was backed up by all of New Zealand’s frontline bowlers striking at least once.
The West Indies, meanwhile, will take what positives they can, notably through the fact test captain Roston Chase top-scored with the bat, with 38 runs from 51 balls, before taking 1/30 with the ball.
Playing in place of the injured Daryl Mitchell, the world’s top ranked ODI batter, Mark Chapman led the New Zealand reply, with 64 runs from 63 balls, hitting eight boundaries and two sixes.
Chapman’s knock steadied an early wobble when both openers departed early and continued his stellar form in ODIs this year, averaging over 73 in his limited opportunities. Once he fell, Michael Bracewell (40 not out) and Zak Foulkes (2 not out) ticked off the rest of the target with little fuss.
Both sides will now begin their preparations for the three-test series, starting in Christchurch at the start of December.
As was the case in Napier, the visitors’ top order imploded as regular strikes from the Kiwi attack effectively sealed New Zealand’s win in less than two hours.
While the openers added 31 at better than a run-a-ball, once Henry had Ackeem Auguste (17) caught pulling at midwicket by Rachin Ravindra, the tourists fell apart like a house of cards.
Two balls later, Henry had Keacy Carty for a duck, dragging the ball on to his stumps, before Kyle Jamieson (1/44) removed John Campbell (26), caught at slip by Michael Bracewell, to leave the West Indies 60/3 after the power play.
Captain Shai Hope couldn’t repeat his Napier heroics and was caught behind off Foulkes (1/13) for 16. Three overs later, Jacob Duffy (2/27) had Sherfane Rutherford (19) caught at point by Chapman to leave the West Indies with half their side dismissed at 91/5 after less than 17 overs.
Things got worse when Santner (2/27) introduced himself – the Black Caps captain’s second ball yielded a simple return catch from Justin Greaves (1), his sixth trapped Matthew Forde LBW for a duck, as the West Indies’ 31/0 had become 95/7.
As the last recognised pair, Chase and Shamar Springer stood as the final hope for any semblance of a defendable total. And while they added 29 runs together, Springer’s exit – when he was bounced out and caught behind by Latham off Duffy for 12 – was another nail in the coffin.
Henry then had Chase out to a top-edged swipe accepted by Bracewell at cover.
And when Jayden Seales only found Santner at deep extra cover, Henry had his fourth, and the West Indies had been skittled inside their 50 overs.
Needing just over three runs per over in their chase, the Black Caps’ top order all went cheaply, safe perhaps in the knowledge the small target was so achievable. Fresh from half-centuries in Napier, Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra added 11 and 14 respectively, while Will Young (3) and Tom Latham (10) also went cheaply.
But from 70/4, the fourth wicket pair of Bracewell and Chapman put their collective foot down to cruise to victory, with a 50-stand in 38 deliveries. Despite only scoring eight runs from his first 20 balls, Chapman accelerated through the innings and pulled Forde for six over deep square leg to raise his half-century in 58 deliveries.
Chapman continued his assault against Forde and took that over for 19 runs, only to depart one ball later when he hit Seales (2/35) to Khary Pierre on the deep point boundary.
Having come to the crease at 27/2, Chapman left at 145/5 and New Zealand required 17 runs from the last 137 balls after he added 75 in 48 deliveries with Bracewell.
And even seeing captain Santner (9) depart with a handful of runs still needed, Bracewell and Foulkes were untroubled in completing the win.
West Indies 161 all out (Chase 38; Henry 4/43)
New Zealand 162/6 (Chapman 64, Bracewell 40 not out; Seales 2/35)
New Zealand win series 3-0