LaraCASTRIES (AP):
STAR left-hander Brian Lara enjoyed his best innings of the home season yesterday, hitting a fine, unbeaten 59 to lift West Indies to a convincing seven-wicket win over New Zealand with 10 overs to spare in the third one-day cricket international at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.
Lara hit five fours and one six off 80 balls to propel the home team to a winning score of 211 for three off 40 overs.
New Zealand were earlier restricted to a modest 210 for seven off 50 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat. The West Indies took early wickets again and only Lou Vincent (60 not out) and Chris Harris (50) made significant contributions.
The West Indies lead the five-match Cable & Wireless series 2-0 with two matches to play.
The home team completed its second successive victory of the weekend at this new venue after its disciplined bowlers laid the platform.
Their batsmen completed the job, keeping the 12,000-strong crowd on their feet for most of the innings as they lashed 23 fours and a six along the way.
Openers Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, as they had done on Saturday, provided a flying start in a stand of 63 in 11.2 overs.
Left-hander Chanderpaul, following his match-winning 108 not out the previous day, scored 30 off 43 balls with four fours.
Gayle was just as fluent, cracking six typically meaty boundaries in 37 off 47 deliveries.
But both openers fell in quick succession, and at 79 for two, the visitors sensed a way back.
Chanderpaul lofted Chris Harris' second ball to midoff, while Gayle was bowled by an excellent delivery from the impressive Paul Hitchcock that clipped off stump.
But Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara paddled the West Indies out of the murky waters and were soon motoring toward victory.
The pair added 77 for the third wicket before Sarwan fell for 42. The Guyanese right-hander was trapped leg before by Harris after hitting six fours off 62 balls.
All the while, the 33-year-old Lara was gradually finding the touch that had deserted him throughout the series against India.
After Sarwan's dismissal, the left-hander took over, displaying a glimpse of the fluent strokeplay that has made him one of the leading batsmen of his generation.
He hit five fours and one massive six off Harris that sailed over long-off.
Ryan Hinds seized a rare opportunity to hit the winning runs as he compiled a run-a-ball, unbeaten 18.
The earlier loss of wickets again cost New Zealand dearly, after the team had batted first on another good batting pitch.
The top order wobbled and never recovered after stuttering to 74 for four in the 20th over.
New Zealand innings
S. Fleming lbw b Gayle 34
N. Astle lbw b Dillon 12
C. Nevin lbw b Collymore 20
C. McMillan c Collins b Gayle 5
L. Vincent not out 60
C. Harris c Sarwan b Dillon 50
S. Styris b Collymore 1
M. Hart c Hooper b Collins 12
D. Tuffey not out 3
Extras: 13
TOTAL: (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 210
Wickets fell at: 25, 69, 69, 74, 164, 168, 201.
Did not bat: Ian Butler, Paul Hitchcock.
Bowling: Dillon 10-0-40-2 (wides 1), Collins 9-0-44-1, Collymore 10-2-36-2 (nb1), Gayle 10-1-34-2 (w1), Hooper 5-0-21-0 (nb2, w1), Ryan Hinds 6-0-29-0 (w1).
West Indies innings
(target 211 off 50 overs)
C. Gayle b Hitchcock 37
S. Chanderpaul c Hitchcock b Harris 30
R. Sarwan lbw b Harris 42
B. Lara not out 59
R. Hinds not out 18
Extras: 25
TOTAL: (for three wickets, 40 overs) 211
Wickets fell at: 63, 79, 156.
Did not bat: Carl Hooper, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore.
Bowling: Tuffey 6-0-32-0 (w5), Butler 5-0-44-0 (nb3, w4), Hitchcock 10-4-31-1 (w2), Styris 5-0-34-0 (nb1, w2), Harris 10-0-43-2 (w2), Hart 4-0-26-0 (nb5).
Result: West Indies won by seven wickets.
Toss: New Zealand.
Man of the Match: Brian Lara.
Umpires: Billy Doctrove (Dominica), Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka).
3rd/TV umpire: Eddie Nicholls (Dominica).
Match referee: Wasim Raja (Pakistan).
1st one-day international, June 5, Jamaica: No result.
2nd one-day international, June 8, St. Lucia: West Indies won by six wickets.
4th one-day international, June 12, Trinidad.
5th one-day international, June 16, St. Vincent.
West Indies lead five-match series 2-0.
