West Indies 211 for 3 in 40 overs (Sarwan 42, Lara 59*) beat New Zealand 210 for 7 in 50 overs (Vincent 58*, Harris 50) by 7 wickets, and lead series 2-0
scorecard

Brian Lara hit an aggressive unbeaten 59 to lead West Indies to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over New Zealand and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-match series. With one match abandoned already, New Zealand can only draw level if they win the remaining two matches, in Trinidad and St Vincent.

For the second day running, New Zealand were comprehensively outplayed at the newly built Beausejour Cricket Ground in the St Lucian countryside. First they batted inadequately, managing only 210 in 50 overs, at least 50 runs short of a competitive target. Their opening bowlers then crumbled in the face of a withering assault from Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who scored 33 in the first five overs.

Chanderpaul, who scored an unbeaten 108 here yesterday (when West Indies won by six wickets), eventually perished for a cavalier 30 and Gayle for 37.

Yesterday, Lara suffered the ignominy of being dropped down the batting order, after Carl Hooper said he was struggling for form. But today he strolled in at his usual No. 4 slot to join Ramnaresh Sarwan, who stroked an elegant 42. They put on a match-clinching 77 for the third wicket before Sarwan was trapped in front by Chris Harris.

Lara, who won the Man of the Match award, then took control, hitting five fours and a mighty six. His subdued half-century - his 48th in ODIs - came up in 73 balls and in all he faced 84 deliverieshis innings lasted 84 deliveries.

Lara did pass 50 twice in the recent series against India, but was overshadowed by heavy scoring from Chanderpaul and Hooper. After a nervous start here, Lara returned to his sizzling best against a weak New Zealand bowling attack.

Earlier, West Indies' varied bowling attack strangled New Zealand's batting. The Kiwis lost three top batsmen for five runs after their captain Stephen Fleming, with 34, and Chris Nevin (20) had given them a healthy start. But they plunged from 69 for 1 to 74 for 4.

The old campaigner Harris scored his 15th one-day half-century in his 212th ODI, and put on 90 with Lou Vincent, who ended as top scorer with 58 not out. Harris's fifty took him 78 balls and Vincent's 75, as the West Indians employed a wily mix of spin and seam against the fragile-looking New Zealand line-up.

Hooper rested paceman Cameron Cuffy in favour of fast-medium seamer Corey Collymore, who posted figures of 2 for 38, while strike bowler Merv Dillon took 2 for 40 from his 10 overs, a distinct improvement on his 2 for 60 yesterday.

Chris Gayle, bowling seemingly innocuous offbreaks, trapped Fleming leg-before, and was his side's most economical bowler, with 2 for 34.

New Zealand's Nathan Astle, renowned as a big hitter, failed for the third consecutive innings when he was given out lbw by West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove for 12.

50 overs New Zealand 210 for 7 (Vincent 58*, Harris 50, Gayle 2-32, Collymore 2-36, Dillon 2-40)

West Indies' seamers, with more than a little help from the gentle offspin of Chris Gayle, strangled New Zealand in the third one-day international, restricting them to 210 for 7 on a flat batting wicket.

Trying desperately to claw their way back into the five-match series, New Zealand lost three wickets for five runs after their captain Stephen Fleming (34) and Chris Nevin (20) had given then a healthy start. But from there, they plunged from 69 for 1 to 74 for 4.

Chris Harris, playing his 212th one day international, scored his 15th one-day fifty in a 90-run partnership with Lou Vincent, who ended as top scorer with 58 not out off 87 balls.

Harris's half-century took 78 balls and Vincent's 75 as West Indies employed a wily mix of spin and seam against the fragile-looking New Zealand batting line-up.

Corey Collymore, in for the rested Cameron Cuffy, took 2 for 38 and Merv Dillon 2 for 40. Then there was Gayle, who nabbed Fleming lbw and was the most economical bowler with 2 for 34.

New Zealand were up against it from the moment Nathan Astle was given out controversially lbw to Dillon for 12 to a delivery that hit him high on the pad and looked as though it was drifting down leg side.

Fleming again batted fluently after top-scoring on Saturday with 89, but was also the victim of a dubious leg-before decision, this time by Sri Lankan umpire Asoka de Silva, when he had scored 34 and was just getting into his rhythm.

Nevin, however, was plumb lbw, and the West Indies tightened their grip by restricting Harris and Vincent to 90 from 23 overs before Harris was caught by Ramnaresh Sarwan at midwicket, the ball after posting his half-century.

It was a brave fightback from Harris and Vincent, but on a very good track, New Zealand will have to bowl extremely well to stop West Indies taking a 2-0 lead.

Toss New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat in the third of five one-day internationals against West Indies on Sunday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.

New Zealand trail 1-0 in the series after West Indies' six-wicket win here on Saturday. The Kiwis have replaced a fast bowler and a left-arm spinner with a fast bowler and a left-arm spinner: Ian Butler and Matthew Hart replace Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori.

Hart is playing his first one-day international since the 1999 World Cup. He did not bowl in that game, so if he gets on here, it will be his first international bowl since December 8, 1996, when he took 2 for 33 against Pakistan at Karachi.

The West Indies have rested paceman Cameron Cuffy, replacing him with Barbados seamer Corey Collymore.

Teams
West Indies 1 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Brian Lara, 5 Carl Hooper (capt), 6 Wavell Hinds, 7 Ryan Hinds, 8 Ridley Jacobs (wk), 9 Pedro Collins, 10 Merv Dillon, 11 Corey Collymore.

New Zealand 1 Stephen Fleming (capt), 2 Nathan Astle, 3 Chris Nevin (wk), 4 Craig McMillan, 5 Lou Vincent, 6 Chris Harris, 7 Scott Styris, 8 Ian Butler, 9 Paul Hitchcock, 10 Matthew Hart, 11 Daryl Tuffey.

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