Boult seven-fer gives New Zealand series with ease

Sat, Dec 23, '17

New Zealand were clinical in the second One-Day International against Windies at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, inflicting their heaviest ODI defeat on the visitors. First, they set a target of 326 owing to a late surge from Henry Nicholls and Todd Astle, who added 130 runs 108 balls for the sixth wicket. Then Trent Boult (7/34) led the way with his a seven-wicket haul, his career best in ODIs, to bundle the visitors for just 121, picking up a 204-run win and taking a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Having been sent in by Jason Holder on a pitch that was on the drier side, Windies did well to reduce New Zealand to 186 for 5 in the 33rd over, but they let off the sixth-wicket pair that turned the game on its head. The pair took their time to settle in, but kept the scoreboard ticking; Nicholls got to his half-century - his third in one-dayers - at a run a ball, but let loose after, going after the Windies bowlers to finish with 83 off 62 balls - an innings that comprised of seven fours and two sixes. Astle was an able accomplice, rotating the strike effectively, and giving Nicholls the bulk of the strike in their partnership. Astle fell one short of his half-century, but Nicholls ensured he stuck around until the end.