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Conway and Santner outdo Hope’s 109 to seal it for New Zealand
New Zealand sealed a thrilling five-wicket win over West Indies in the second ODI, taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner played crucial roles in the chase, with Conway scoring 90 off 84 balls and Santner finishing with 34* off 23 balls.
The Match Report
The match, which was delayed by close to three hours due to rain and a wet outfield, saw West Indies captain Shai Hope single-handedly propel his team from 130 for 6 in 24 overs to 247 for 9 in 34 overs. Hope notched up his 19th ODI century, finishing with 109* off 69 balls.
New Zealand, in response, got off to a slow start, with Conway and Rachin Ravindra finding the going tough on a treacherous Napier surface. However, once the duo settled down, the runs started to flow, with Conway and Ravindra adding 106 runs off 99 balls for the first wicket.
Ravindra fell for 56, but Conway continued to rack up boundaries regularly, reaching his fifty off 54 balls. He eventually fell for 90, thrashing a cut off Shamar Springer straight to point.
With the required rate climbing, Tom Latham and Santner joined forces, taking their time to settle in before Santner flipped the switch, smashing Springer for four and six in the second-last over. Santner then sealed the chase with a crash through extra cover as New Zealand prevailed with three balls to spare.
The Turning Point
The turning point of the match came when Santner took on Matthew Forde, who had gone at only four runs an over. Santner carted Forde for 4, 6, 4 to take 18 runs off the 32nd over, changing the momentum of the game in New Zealand’s favor.
The Player of the Match
While Hope’s century was a standout performance, Santner’s finishing skills and Conway’s solidity with the bat made them the heroes of the match for New Zealand.
- Shai Hope: 109* off 69 balls
- Devon Conway: 90 off 84 balls
- Mitchell Santner: 34* off 23 balls
New Zealand will look to complete a series sweep when the two teams meet for the third and final ODI. West Indies, on the other hand, will hope to salvage some pride and end the series on a high note.
