Cricket: Black Caps come home smiling after tri-series victory

By MARK GEENTY

LONDON - Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming rated his side too good a lineup not to come away from their England tour empty-handed as they scooped the NatWest Trophy in a canter yesterday.

The New Zealanders jet home this week for a six-week break with a third one-day trophy in four years in their luggage after beating West Indies by 107 runs at Lord's.

Defending what appeared a sub-par total of 266, spinner Daniel Vettori led the way with a career-best five for 30 for the best one-day figures at the home of cricket as West Indies folded for 159 in 42 overs.

Fleming, whose top score of 67 off 66 balls helped him win the man of the series title, said the side deserved to have something to show for their 10-week toil.

"The first half of the tour was pretty forgettable, we were beaten 0-3 in a frustrating test series, and we knew the second half was vitally important if we were going to get something out of this tour," Fleming said.

"We're too good a side not to get something out of it.

"Everything pretty much went to plan, we were nervous we hadn't got enough in the last 10 to15 overs and we might have been a bit light.

"If anything, that contributed to the fielding display which I thought was the best we've put in for some time."

New Zealand produced one of their slickest efforts, despite not posting 300 as they should have, their bowling and fielding was outstanding as they won their ninth match in a row. The West Indies fielding was woeful in comparison.

Vettori took five wickets and two direct-hit run outs, while Chris Harris chimed in with the key run-out of Ramnaresh Sarwan for 19 and his long-awaited 200th one-day wicket in his 243rd match.

He snared Ridley Jacobs, caught at deep square leg by Chris Cairns, in his 10th over.

It was a return to the good old days, a la the 1992 World Cup, as New Zealand batted first after losing the toss but posted a competitive total then defended it stoutly with medium pace and spin on a slow, low surface.

Unlike the rest of the series, bowling first wasn't a huge advantage.

New Zealand did it largely without their star allrounder Chris Cairns, whose ankle injury was clearly hampering him and whom Fleming decided not to risk at the bowling crease.

West Indies were never in it after Jacob Oram removed Chris Gayle in the third over and Ian Butler applied the pressure from the other end.

Captain Brian Lara was the key, but Vettori got rid of him in the 28th over, leg before wicket for 30 on the back foot.

Rain interfered with West Indies 109 for five off 31, but the players returned 45 minutes later as New Zealand polished off the next five, to win with nearly nine overs to spare.

They are now eagerly awaiting the Champions Trophy in England in September, particularly the September 16 clash with Australia which will pit the world's two leading sides.

"We've got a big challenge with Australia to be No 1, but the mouth waters if we can continue this form," Fleming said.

"The big challenge is after a break now, getting back into the rhythms of the game."

New Zealand could have been almost untouchable had they not got the staggers late in their innings, losing their last seven wickets for 49 in 9.3 overs as spinners Sarwan and Chris Gayle strangled their momentum.

Fleming, Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan topped 50 but none kicked on to anchor the innings.

A total of 300 was likely as openers Fleming and Astle blazed away against the erratic Tino Best, adding 120 in 22 overs for their second successive century stand.

Fleming passed 50 for the 43rd time in his career in fine style, hitting nine fours in all and having the bowling at his mercy before offering a cheap catch.

Hamish Marshall and McMillan kept the runs ticking over with a stand of 71 off 69 balls but when Marshall chipped a catch to cover on 44, it signalled the collapse.

Just 51 runs came off the last 10 overs, with no boundaries, as Sarwan bagged his best one-day figures of three for 31 off six.

NZ's recent finals

* 2004: NatWest Trophy, England: New Zealand 266 beat West Indies 159.

* 2003: Bank Alfalah Cup, Sri Lanka: Pakistan 198 lost to NZ 200-6.

* 2002: VB Series, Australia (best of three): NZ 190 lost to South Africa 191-2, NZ 175 lost to South Africa 173-4 (Duckworth-Lewis method).

* 2000:Champions Trophy, Nairobi: India 264-6 lost to NZ 265-6 .

- NZPA