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Untitled Document
 Kiwis thrash Windies in Antigua
30th Mar 2007 11:53 IST
Agencies
New Zealand took a giant step towards a berth in the semi-finals when they thrashed West Indies by seven wickets in the World Cup Super Eights in Antigua on Thursday.
Stephen Fleming and his men clinically decimated the West Indies by first bowling them out for 177 and then racing to the target in 39.2 overs at Sir Viv Richards stadium.
The only hiccup in their charge was a brief rain-interruption when they were 129/3 after 32 overs.
Much of the job for Black Caps was done by their bowlers as Jacob Oram, Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori all picked up three wickets each and ensured that the West Indies innings featured neither a half-century nor a substantial stand.
Chris Gayle (44) and Brian Lara (37) were the only ones to put their hands up and the best stand of the innings was not more than 52 runs as West Indian batting continued to disappoint the home fans.
West Indies were encouraged by an early wicket when Darren Powell accounted for Peter Fulton off the second ball of the Kiwis' innings and then built on the success by inducing an uppish drive from Hamish Marshall to mid-off.
Fleming (45) though led from the front with a brilliant cameo in which his short jabs and powerful strokes on the offside invariably found the ropes.
He threatened to win the game all on his own when Lara ran him out with a brilliant pick up and throw at the striker's end.
The New Zealand skipper faced 66 balls and hit six fours and a six.
New Zealand, at 77/3, were still over 100 runs short of the target but Scott Styris (80 not out) and Craig McMillan (33 no) went about their task with authority.
Styris has been in brilliant nick as his scores of 87, 63, 28 and now 80 in the competition indicate.
He took a heavy toll of Corey Collymore's ninth over when he smacked him for three fours and couple of braces - 16 runs in all.
In all, he batted for 90 balls for his 80 runs and hit seven fours.
West Indies now have to win all their remaining four matches while New Zealand next take on Bangladesh who beat them in a warm-up game.
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