Akeal Hossain took 3-28 and Alzarri Joseph 3-36 as the West Indies bowled out New Zealand for 190 in 45.2 overs after choosing to bowl Wednesday in the first of three one-day internationals at the Kensington Oval.
It was the first time New Zealand has been dismissed in a 50-over match since March 2020.
Hosein, Joseph and debuting spinners Kevin Sinclair and Yannic Carriah turned the tide of the New Zealand innings with accurate bowling in the middle overs on a pitch that especially rewarded spinners with bounce.
New Zealand made a solid start with a 41-run partnership between Martin Guptill and Finn Allen who struck two sixes and a four from Jason Holder’s bowling in the seventh over.
A short rain break followed at the end of the eighth over and Allen was out for 25 four balls after the resumption. From then on New Zealand lost wickets regularly and struggled to build the partnerships that were necessary to reach a more challenging total.
Allen was Hosein’s first wicket, caught by captain Nicholas Pooran who had to run back and hold onto the ball as it came across his shoulder.
Guptill fell in Hosein’s next over, caught by Kyle Mayers at slip for 24 when New Zealand was 53-2.
Captain Kane Williamson attempted to lead a New Zealand recovery with an innings of 34 from 50 balls. But he lacked support: Devon Conway came and went quickly for 4 and Tom Latham managed only 12 as New Zealand slumped to 88-4.
Williamson’s partnership with Daryl Mitchell held promise and the pair had added 28 for the fifth wicket before both batsmen fell to Joseph in the 30th over.
Mitchell had made 20 from 32 balls when he was trapped lbw and Williamson followed in the same manner only four balls later.
Allrounders Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner gave New Zealand hope of a more substantial total with a partnership of 40 for the seventh wicket.
But just as it seemed they would tip the match back in New Zealand’s favor, Bracewell was out for 31 from 33 balls, trapped lbw to give Carriah his first wicket in one-day internationals. The Trinidadian wrist spinner finished with 1-49 from nine overs.
The New Zealand tail often comes to the rescue of the team but on this occasion there was no fightback. Santner was out for 25 with the total 189-8 and the last two wickets fell quickly.
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