With rare century opening stand, Kiwis beat WI

NAPIER, New Zealand:

A rare century partnership between Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra was the cornerstone yesterday to New Zealand's five-wicket win over the West Indies in the second One Day International (ODI).

New Zealand hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series ahead of the final match on Saturday, their 11th consecutive series win at home.

Shai Hope made a century from 67 balls and led West Indies to 247-9 as they batted first after losing the toss.

Hope surpassed 6,000 ODI runs early in his innings, and with his first hundred against New Zealand completed a full set of centuries against all Test-playing nations.

He is the second-fastest West Indies batter to reach 6,000 runs after Viv Richards.

"I always look at it this way, I got 109. It was still not enough," said Hope, whose century was the fifth fastest by a West Indies batter in ODIs.

"I needed to get 120 or 130 for us to win. That's how I look at it."

CENTURY PARTNERSHIP

Conway made 90 from 84 balls and Ravindra 56 from 46 deliveries, sharing a partnership of 106 from 100 balls in a match shortened by rain to 34 overs per side. It was the first century partnership by a New Zealand opening pair in 73 matches over five years.

Tom Latham then made 39 from 29 balls and Mitchell Santner 34 from 15 as New Zealand reached 248-5 with three balls remaining.

New Zealand needed eight runs from the last over and were helped when Jayden Seales conceded a four off the second ball from a no ball.

Earlier, Hope reached 90 from 62 balls but was stranded for almost three overs on that score as he ran out of partners.

Shamar Springer was out to the first ball of the last over, leaving Hope off strike and the West Indies 235-9. But Seales hurried through for a single and Hope hit the next ball from Kyle Jamieson for six to complete his century, with 13 fours and four sixes.

Rain delayed the start of play by three hours.

New Zealand won the toss and the match began in humid conditions in which the ball swung significantly early on. Scoring was difficult when bowlers kept a full length and denied batters width.

- AP