short ball targeting his midriff from around the wicket as Bravo shuffles across to off stump and pulls it away to the long leg boundary.
New Zealand vs West Indies, 4th ODI at Nelson, Jan 04 2014 - Ball by Ball Commentary
That's all we have for you, folks. Many thanks for your company and your feedback. We still have one more game left where New Zealand would be looking to seal the series while West Indies would be going tooth and nail to square it. It should be a cracker, weather permitting so do join us then. For now, this is Alagappan Muthu wishing you good tidings
6.00 pm There we have it people, play has been called off and New Zealand have won this by 58 runs. Dwayne Bravo says the target was a gettable one and that they fancied chasing 280-285. But losing wickets to the new ball, especially through run outs did not help.
Brendon McCullum says it was tough at the start. Martin Guptill played an outstanding role and allowed the others to bat around him. To get 280 on that wicket was a pretty good score. You wanna be one or two down inside 30-35 overs, the wicket was a bit two paced and 250 would have been par but Martin played really well and we got a few runs in the end and 280 was an outstanding score on that wicket. We pride ourselves on our fielding. The outfield was a bit heavy and to get those two run outs and getting through those overs quickly was a good job by the team. Hamstring is going well, its getting a bit, old I think but overall pretty pleased to go through 2-1 up
Martin Guptill is Man of the Match and says it was nice to spend a bit of time on the middle and get a few runs. It was just a matter of adapting to the wicket. I was trying to score as many runs as I can but I just couldn't. The idea was to stay out there and get as much as possible and he was pretty happy things went well
5.45 pm Reports coming in paint a very gloomy scenario. The rain has picked up quite a bit since starting and the forecast is for it to continue through the afternoon. Don't hold your breath for play to start, and the remaining crowd at Saxton Oval is treated to Umbrella.
elwarko: "Only just tuned in and apologies if the ground has already been covered. So we had an extra 29 over to bat and could only score an extra 2 runs? For shame NZ, for shame."
5.30 pm The umpires are walking out onto the field right now and are having a chat with the groundstaff. The crowd have begun to disperse even as I type. Doesn't look too good, folks
amit: "What is the d/l score right now." West Indies are 58 runs behind the D/L target at this point.
5.15 pm Finally, it seems the umpires have decided the rain is strong enough to cause a halt in play. The players are ushered out of the field and the groundstaff get busy covering the pitch. West Indies are well short of the D/L target and should this match not resume it would mean they will be nursing a second straight loss. Conditions are quite gloomy and the possibility of a restart aren't too promising. We'll keep you posted. Fittingly, of course, Why does it always rain on me by Travis blasts out at Saxton Oval as we leave you. Followed by Ran drops keep falling on my head
The rain's become quite steady now
fullish on off stump as he moves forward to drive to mid-off
length ball on middle and is turned to square leg for a single
loud appeal from New Zealand but Umpire Bowden shakes his head. Ramdin was late on his shot and there wasn't much on offer any way as he gets rapped on the pads while being stuck in the crease, but he is saved by the height it got.
5.11 pm The rain's picked up a bit here
it was full on middle as he turns it away towards midwicket
pushed into the covers for a single
flighted on middle as he comes forward and blocks
full on leg stump as Bravo opens up his front leg and tried to clear mid-off, but it drops just short of Southee who had been running in
fullish on off stump as he moves forward and drives the ball to mid-off and calls his partner through for the single
shortish with just enough room for Ramdin to tap it away to deep third man
steers it off the front foot to point as this was a length ball on off stump
cuts him in half as the length ball gets a little dip inward and Bravo was a little loose with his drive on the up through the off side
full on middle and leg as Ramdin turns it away behind square leg
fullish delivery but Bravo prefers to stay back and looks to flick it. McClenaghan goes up in appeal as this ball strikes his pad and runs away behind square on the leg side, but it seems like he had a little bat on it
Mitchell McClenaghan comes back for another spell, starts around the wicket
leans forward and turns the full length ball away behind square leg
flighted outside off stump as Bravo leans forward and drives one-handed to mid-off
defended towards mid-off
goes down on one knee and sweeps the full dart away through to long leg
full length, not too much flight as the batsman goes back to get in line and block
drags it down but there is protection at deep midwicket as the batsman rocks back to pull the ball quite strongly