Cricket: Black Caps give heart rates a workout

New Zealand didn't need any of Queenstown's adventure experiences to raise the heart rate as they beat a battling West Indies outfit by three wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the one-day cricket series today.

Vice-captain Daniel Vettori finished the match in style, belting a four to long-off for the winning runs and his half-century as the Black Caps reached 204 for seven in reply to the tourists' 200 for nine.

Vettori finished with a valuable 53 not out from 56 balls and James Franklin 15 not out as the hosts were made to scrap for a win that has them on course to seal the five-match series in Christchurch on Saturday.

Despite reaching the finishing post with seven overs to spare, the journey was hardly plain sailing for New Zealand.

A kamikaze start to the chase, where they lost four wickets within 24 balls, had their backs firmly against the wall.

Peter Fulton and Brendon McCullum produced cameos of 49 and 45 respectively after a horror start which saw scores of 5, 0, 2 and 0 as the pacey West Indian pairing of Fidel Edwards and Ian Bradshaw skittled the top four batsmen.

Even though they easily remained ahead of the required run rate, wickets dropped regularly at the Queenstown Events Centre like punters off a bungy jump platform.

Lefties Vettori and Franklin came together at 141 for seven and steered the hosts through with a 63-run partnership.

The Black Caps' think tank have eyed this match series as a chance to try various combinations, but despite leading the series, coach John Bracewell and the team management will not feel fully satisfied with the results after batting slumps have surfaced in both games.

Today it was the express pace of young tyro Edwards, who was reaching speeds of 149km/h, that rattled the top-order.

He and Bradshaw eventually took two for 41 and two for 31 respectively.

Although the West Indies' terrible form slump continues -- it was their 15th loss from their last 17 matches -- they showed glimpses today that they can trouble the hosts.

The West Indians also struggled at the start of their innings which appeared to be travelling on a walking frame as they took 10 overs to produce 10 runs.

A rear-guard innings from Wavell Hinds saw the West Indies reach 200, a respectable effort given they were 68 for four after 25 overs.

Hinds hit 76 from 88 balls, his 14th one-day half-century as he and Ranako Morton rebuilt the innings with a 70-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

The pair dragged the West Indies through to 130 before Morton fell for 39.

Hinds and Dwayne Smith then picked up the tempo as they both launched into Scott Styris with his six overs leaking 51 runs.

Fleming introduced super-sub Jeetan Patel with six overs remaining as he attempted to prevent a late blow-out, but the West Indies still hit 40 from the last four overs.

Earlier, poor shot-making, tight New Zealand bowling and the miserly efforts of Shane Bond saw the West Indies staring at a small total.

New Zealand conceded just 10 runs from the opening 10 overs, with Bond bowling 28 deliveries without conceding a run.

He recorded the best figures of two for 23 and had barely believable figures of one for two, including four maidens, from his opening six overs.

- NZPA