After 37 overs NZ is looking good. 204/1. Looks like it'll be a high scoring game.

After being 224/1 at one stage, NZ will be disappointed that the batsmen could not get going and post a score of more than 300.

288 is still a very competitive score.

Full marks to the W Indians for fighting back!

Gayle & Dwayne Smith bowled well and I think they'll be even more effective on West Indian pitches. So WI have 2 very good bowling options in these two. Now if they can just get the runs flowing in as well!

__________________
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, prepare to die."
- Klingon Proverb, Star Trek

New zeland won by 81 runs... after making 288/9 with an exciting innings from nathan astle for 90 and jamie how's 66 they applied a chokehole on the indifferent west indian batting.. with gayle falling again to a weird shot... why doesnt someone knock some sense into this guy?? what a waste of talent.. the west indian team made a total of 207 with sarawan leading the fightback but to no avail... new zeland are an excellent team in the field and they proved it yet again today!!!!

With Dwayne Bravo injured WI are missing a new key figure in their lineup. I think Bravo has taken on a new hold as a good genuine allrounder but back to the game.

I think the WI did very well to make NZ collapse later on in the first innings, I think maybe NZ got a little too excited. Good knock from Sarwan in the reply when you have wickets tumbling all around you it's not easy and he kept a somewhat level head I feel. His ODI form has been good but he just doesn't seem to be able to transfer this to tests.

__________________
Watch this for a perfect about.
James May

The New Zealand batting was disappointing after How, Astle and Fleming laid a great foundation. They should really have kicked on from 40 overs onwards and scored in excess of 300. The middle order collapsed amidst and array of poorly judged shots and decent bowling. Only Fleming showed an ability to smack the West Indian attack around as at various points How and Astle were becalmed by Gayle, Dwayne Smith and Bradshaw.

West Indies were in trouble from a couple of overs in as Gayle holed out followed by a great ball by James Franklin to dismiss Runako Morton first ball. Sarwan, Chanderpaul and especially Dwayne Smith batted well. Smith blasted 3 sixes into the stands, but he was left with far too much to do thanks to some very economical bowling from Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel.

McCullum was very disappointing to my mind. Most balls that came his way he either juggled or fumbled. The Windies keeper, who I confess I'd never seen before, looked very accomplished with the gloves - even standing up to Bradshaw at one point and not making a mistake. The other poor thing was the attendance. The ground was only about half full.

Still, both sides can take positives out of this match. The other interesting thing was that Stephen Fleming tried to agree with Shiv Chanderpaul before the match for the Super Sub rule to be axed for the series (it is still legal until the end of March). Chanderpaul, interestingly, refused. It probably ended up working better for Fleming who subbed Peter Fulton for Jeetan Patel - who turned out to do quite well with the ball. Chanderpaul on the other hand, brought on Rawl Lewis for Taylor. Lewis took 1 - 33 off 5 overs. Not what he was looking for I guess.