Twitter Reactions: Shamarh Brooks, bowlers power West Indies to take a 1-0 lead against New Zealand

After winning the T20I series by 2-1, the visitors – New Zealand – were in good form and aimed to clinch the ODI series as well. The hosts West Indies, on the other hand, had been through multiple defeats recently and needed a series win badly. They pounced on the opportunity and stood tall against the strong Kiwi lineup to win the first game by five wickets, with 11 overs to spare and go one up in the three-match series.

The opening duo for New Zealand threatened to win the match for the visitors early on, but once spin entered the attack, everything changed drastically, and the visitors were bowled out for the first time in an ODI since March 2020. Yannic Cariah and Kevin Sinclair, both debutants, helped Akeal Hosein spin a web around the Kiwi batters by enabling the ball to turn and bounce.

They managed to block the accumulation of runs while also regularly taking wickets and breaking significant partnerships. Hosein’s major wickets in his kitty were those of Kiwi openers Martin Guptill, Finn Allen, and middle-order batter Devon Conway. The Blackcaps were never able to recover from the blows of losing the in-form Daryl Mitchell to pacer Alzarri Joseph, and then losing their captain Kane Williamson, who also happened to be one of New Zealand’s top run-scorers.

Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell stitched a valuable 40-run partnership for the seventh wicket, and when the latter too lost his wicket, at the wrong time, the West Indies were able to dismiss their guests for less than 200 runs within their 50-over quota. Jason Holder also contributed by taking a few wickets, but the New Zealand batsman played some dubious shots and ultimately gave way under pressure. Kane Williamson was the only batter who appeared comfortable against spin.

West Indies were surely pleased with the work of their inexperienced spinners Cariah and Sinclair, who though picked up just a wicket each, their precision stood out above all else. However, the wicket offered ample opportunities for spinners, and when the pacers bowled wisely, they too were rewarded. New Zealand ended up scoring 190 runs in 45.2 overs before the lineup was bowled out.

Shamarh Brooks goes past New Zealand’s strong bowling attack

In reply, Shai Hope got off to a strong start but lost his priced wicket due to an early impulsive shot. Holder and Jermaine Blackwood took their side through the rest of the game without any difficulty after Nicholas Pooran and Shamarh Brooks built a strong partnership, with the latter doing most of the work when the former struggled.

A well-planned strategy by the Caribbean side fell in place, just like they desired it to happen. After the bowlers restricted the New Zealanders to a low score, the batters did their job pretty well, and a brilliant 91-ball 79-run effort by Brooks helped West Indies cross the finish line with ease, and finish off the 191-run chase within 39 overs, to win the game by five wickets.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to West Indies triumph: