West Indies have won their first ODI series against a side other than Bangladesh or Zimbabwe in more than four years. Slower ball, beats the bat, and the keeper completes the run-put after the New Zealand Nos 10 and 11 are confused and both in the middle of the pitch
West Indies vs New Zealand, 4th ODI at Basseterre, Jul 14 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary
That brings an end to the proceedings for today. Thanks for joining us. Cheers
Sunil Narine is MoM. He says: "It shows in the depth in our batting. The lower order giving us a total to bowl at, and then Best running in hard. We have a long season, hopefully I will get a chance in Tests again."
"A good feeling indeed," says Darren Sammy. "It looked a 200 wicket in the morning. Then the partnership between Pollard and Thomas turned it around. You have go commend Narine for another man of the Match today. Tino didn't start too well, but the way he came back and picked up wicket was great. The good thing for us today was that the lower order came through. NZ improved as the series went on, but it was good to see we kept our cool. As he said, 4-1 is much better than 3-2 so we will come out trying to win."
Ian Bishop hosts the presentation ceremony. "You have got to give credit to Wst Indies," says Ross Taylor. "They were under pressure. Their middle order batted well, and the cameos from Sammy and my Delhi team-mate Russell. We would have liked to put the foot down on the throat, but we didn't execute well. You have got to back yourself to get 79 off the last 10, but you have to give credit to Narine. We are slowly improving in a lot of areas, but 2-3 looks much better than 1-4, so we need to come back."
Time for some reaction from readers. Mike is gutted: "Absolutely disgusted - disgusted with Oram and Bracewell, disgusted with the on-field umpires for the inconsistent wide calling, disgusted with the third umpire for completely ignoring a no-ball, and disgusted with the NZ bowlers for relaxing. Feel so sorry for Taylor he tried but everyone around him was pathetic!"
Calvin has a salute for Sammy detractors: "So Sammy hit a crucial 26, took 4 catches, took 1 wicket and took some brave decisions as captain. He is the unsung hero of this match. And people still question his place in the team. What's up with that???"
What scenes of joy between the players and inside the crowd too. They have got this series win the hard way. After the collapse three days ago, they were five down for 100 and change today, and it seemed like we were headed for an equaliser. Kieron Pollard, though, played one of his best innings of all time, restraining himself, scoring a matured fifty to set up, what he called, "a fighting" total. Best then started with pace and fire, and Sammy and Narine followed it up with acts of discipline. Rpss Taylor came back to ODI cricket with a top century, giving WI a right fright, but Narine kept the pressure one, bowling overs 41, 43, 45 and 47 for just 12 runs. That pressure proved too much, and wickets kept falling at the other end. Finally Taylor fell in the 49th over, and it was all over. And how crucial was that no-ball not given in the 48th over? We will never know
Tino Best says, "My son says, 'Dad go and bowl fast.' Any time a 12-year-old tells you that, you'll go out and do it."
full, angling in, beats the huge swing. Beaten
full, on off, driven down the ground, turns down the single
Bravo to bowl the last over, which should only be a celebratory home run for them
Best won't get five, but he has sealed the match for sure. length ball outside off, Boult is not keen to get in line as it is bowled at 144ks. Beaten
One more ball to get five for Best. "Ti-no, Ti-no," goes the crowd
full, on leg, driven to long-on for one
"What is the use of having a TV umpire look for a no ball if they then don't know the rules?! They could easily look them up on Cricinfo..." Or, Matthew, they could read the commentary here. Meanwhile, Best looking for a well-earned five-for
full, on off, will get just the single
Trent Boult to face for the first time
full, on off, dug out for a single
Sammy takes the catch. Taylor perishes. There are people already wanting to invade the pitch. Surely this wins the series for West Indies? Full toss, on off, Taylor wants to hit it for a six over leg, gets a thick edge that is skied to Sammy at point
short of a length, inside edge into the pads, drops into the off side, Taylor turns down the single. Cheers all around
Best to bowl the 49th over, in keeping with the trend of bowling your best option in the penultimate over and take the game into the final over
swept away powerfully, but only for a single. Narine finishes with 2 for 20 off his 10. What pressure he has exerted. Could me the watch-winning turn
full, outside off, driven to long-on for one
short delivery, Southee swings at it expecting it to turn in, but the ball turns away, and beats the edge, or so it seems. Thomas appeals, he is so confident he has convinced Sammy to review the decision. And oh my word, Narine doesn't have any part of the foot behind the line. Thomas and Sammy might have conceded a no-ball and a free hit here. Plus lose their review. I think it will be pretty generous if this is not called a no-ball. Long wait for the decision. Tension all around as players form small-small groups to chat among themselves. Not-out called, but Narine has been allowed to get away with that no-ball. How crucial could a free hit be in the context of this match? Ordinary umpiring there
legbreak, pitches on a length, in front of off, turning away, defended back to him
offbreak, cramps him from a short of a length, punched down to long-on
Taylor has got the strike now, and Suthee is his new ally
Bracewell charges at the first ball of Narine's last. Bracewell has made a little too much room as Narine floats this wide outside off, and the mist-hit settles with long-off
Narine to bowl out
this is a high full toss, and Taylor accepts it with glee, lofting him over square leg for his fifth six. What's more? He wants a call for a no-ball for a high full toss. Doesn't seem that high, though. The umpires tell him just that
Good stuff so far. Nothing fancy. Just full and straight, bot letting them get under the deliveries
low full toss again, gets a single to long-off
low full toss on the pads, and he gets a single again to long leg. Solid over for West Indies so far
full toss, hit down to long-off for one
wide yorker, well inside that tram line, but out of Bracewell's reach. Top delivery
Bravo gets away with it. Full, on the pads, swung away, but straight to long leg
Dwayne Bravo comes on. Crucial over. Best's final over held back