Cricket: Cairns stars again in Cardiff as NZ win seven straight

By MARK GEENTY

Chris Cairns' bowling hit new highs with his best one-day cricket spell since major knee surgery two years ago as New Zealand equalled their record winning streak at Cardiff yesterday.

Cairns' three for 29 off eight overs, including the key wicket of a dominant Brian Lara for 58, lifted New Zealand to a five-wicket win over West Indies.

Chasing 217, New Zealand got home with four overs to spare, led by Hamish Marshall's cool unbeaten 75 to have them poised for the tri-series final at Lord's on Saturday.

It was New Zealand's seventh consecutive win and gave them a seven-point break on their opponents going into the clash with England in Bristol today, meaning they can only miss the final if they lose their next two matches heavily without a bonus point.

Just twice before have New Zealand won seven straight, in 1982-83, and in the 1992 World Cup.

While Marshall was awarded man of the match, Cairns turned the contest on its head with another starring role at a windswept Sophia Gardens, packed full with 10,000 people at the scene of his matchwinning knock of 60 against Australia at the World Cup five years ago.

His one-day bowling in the past year has been largely pedestrian but yesterday, on the best pitch of the series, he charged in with venom and pulled out all the old tricks.

Having taken nine wickets in his farewell test at Trent Bridge last month, Cairns said it inspired him to lift his one-day game.

"It probably woke me up a little bit because I think I was cruising. I was comfortable with a bits and pieces type role, rather than a frontline seamer," Cairns said after his 189th match.

"This is the only international cricket I play now, and I think I respond better to (the) expectation of bowling at the death and providing wickets. It motivated me a lot more and I'm enjoying it."

West Indies were in command with Lara, promoted to open for the first time since 1999, carving up New Zealand's opening pair Jacob Oram and James Franklin.

Playing his 237th one-day international, Lara made good deliveries look second rate as he cracked nine fours and a straight six off Oram in his 58-ball knock.

Cairns struck in his second over with a pinpoint slower ball which Lara lunged at, and lobbed a catch to a diving Stephen Fleming at mid-on to end the opening stand of 83 in 17 overs.

"Getting him any time's great, he's so destructive and one guy in the world who can win a game himself," Cairns said.

Two overs later Chris Gayle was nicked out for 27 to a smart diving catch from gloveman Gareth Hopkins, who bagged an impressive three catches to give him six from his first two internationals.

West Indies were still in good shape at 180 for three in the 37th before Cairns struck again, Ramnaresh Sarwan also deceived on 54 and Fleming taking the catch again at mid-on.

It sparked a collapse of seven for 36 as Ian Butler, bowling at sharp pace in his first appearance of the tournament, struck late to end with his best figures of three for 41 off 8.2 overs in his 11th match.

New Zealand's chase was rarely in doubt as Fleming, having won his third consecutive toss of the series, hit a slick 45 off 62 balls before mistiming a pull shot.

They were assisted by the fiery but wayward Tino Best, reaching the mid 150km/h range but bowling three sets of four wides down the leg side at Marshall.

Marshall's impressive one-day career, which saw his average at 40.42 from 18 matches before yesterday, continued to roll on with his sixth half-century as the chase was measured to perfection.

He hit just three fours but worked the strike expertly, facing 119 balls.

NZ V WEST INDIES SCOREBOARD


WEST INDIES

C Gayle c Hopkins b Cairns 27

B Lara c Fleming b Cairns 58

R Sarwan c Fleming b Cairns 54

S Chanderpaul c Hopkins b Butler 21

D Bravo c Astle b Styris 15

R Powell c and b Butler 7

D Smith run out 10

C Baugh c Hopkins b Franklin 3

I Bradshaw run out 0

T Best not out 1

J Lawson b Butler 4

Extras (5lb, 5w, 6nb) 16

Total (46.2 overs) 216

Fall: 83 (Lara), 92 (Gayle), 132 (Chanderpaul), 180 (Bravo), 190 (Powell), 199 (Sarwan), 207 (Baugh), 208 (Bradshaw), 212 (Smith), 216 (Lawson).

Bowling: J Oram 10-0-43-0, J Franklin 6-0-37-1 (3w, 2nb), C Cairns 8-1-29-3 (1nb), D Vettori 8-0-36-0 (1w), I Butler 8.2-0-41-3 (1w, 3nb), S Styris 6-0-25-1.

NEW ZEALAND

S Fleming c and b Bravo 45

N Astle c Chanderpaul b Lawson 19

H Marshall not out 75

S Styris b Bravo 3

C McMillan c Lara b Bravo 22

J Oram c Gayle b Lawson 17

C Cairns not out 4

Extras (5lb, 25w, 5nb) 35

Total (for 5 wkts, 46 overs) 220

Fall: 42 (Astle), 114 (Fleming), 121 (Styris), 176 (McMillan), 216 (Oram).

Bowling: J Lawson 10-1-56-2 (4w, 3nb), I Bradshaw 10-1-34-0 (1w), T Best 8-0-48-0 (18w, 1nb), D Bravo 8-0-36-0 (2w, 1nb), D Smith 7-0-30-0, C Gayle 3-0-11-0.

Result: New Zealand won by five wickets.

Man of the match: Hamish Marshall.

- NZPA