The dives, the ducks, the drops

Corey Anderson's New Year's Day splash means that his arrival at the crease produces a buzz among the fans, who expect more massive hits. Anderson had provided the Queenstown spectators 14 chances to win a $100,000 jackpot if they caught any six with one-hand, and wore the sponsor's shirts. This time, they had to wait till the last ball of the innings for an opportunity. A monster hit from Anderson nearly cleared the grass banks beyond long-on, though that didn't stop two fans from enthusiastically diving for it on the downslope behind the viewing area. Both were dives for the camera, though, as neither of them had a chance of catching it.

Chadwick Walton picked up a third duck in his four-ODI career after a mix-up in the first over. He steered the ball in front of point, where Kane Williamson swooped on the ball. Walton was already a long way out when he saw that his partner was not coming through for the run. Williamson realised he didn't have to go for a difficult direct hit and threw it to the wicketkeeper who was charging towards the stumps. Like a football cross, it was perfectly timed for Luke Ronchi to collect and take the final steps to tap off the bails.

One delivery that highlighted the difference between the two sides was the second ball of the fifth over in the chase. Kirk Edwards punched the ball down the ground and was ambling, expecting the ball to go through. Nathan McCullum had other ideas, though, sprinting after it and putting in a headlong dive to try stopping the ball from reaching the rope. He would have succeeded too, had it not been for a kink in the boundary rope, which was pulled in about a yard around the sightscreens. Medium-pace bowlers are often told they need an extra yard, but this time it was the fielder who needed it.

West Indies' batting and bowling weaknesses could be blamed on the absence of senior players, but there's no excuse for the fielding standards observed in the match. Three regulation chances went down off Jason Holder's bowling, leaving the 22-year-old distraught. Denesh Ramdin dropped a thin edge that came through just above waist height, and barely needed him to move. Dwayne Bravo tried the reverse-cup as he let the ball burst through his fingers at first slip, and Nikita Miller reprieved Brendon McCullum first ball by putting down a sitter.

Tino Best is a bowler who guarantees entertainment, through his raw pace or his uninhibited celebrations or his lack of control which leads to loads of runs. The 44th over of the innings showed why he has earned the nickname 'El Tino'. The first ball was a trademark Ross Taylor hit to midwicket for four, the next a pacy delivery that was outside edged past the keeper for four. Two balls later, an inside edge raced to the fine leg boundary. Best was willing on his fielder to hold on to a catch at deep midwicket next ball but it landed just short of Lendl Simmons. Best then fired in a full toss, which Brendon McCullum top edged and the ball swirled to McCullum's left. Best charged through hoping for a caught-and-bowled, but the ball just evaded him. Already frustrated, his mood worsened when the umpire called it a no-ball for height. That meant he had to bowl another ball in the over, which was promptly dispatched over cover for six by McCullum, ending an over of drama, and dismay for Best.