Lara pained as WI get Cairned

The win was completed with plenty of time to spare thanks to Chris Cairns, who recorded the third-best bowling figures in New Zealand Test history with seven for 27 off 22.5 overs.

It gave him 10 for 100 in the match and with his 72 runs in the first innings had little competition for the Man of the Match award.

It was only New Zealand’s fifth win over the West Indies in 29 matches, the last coming 13 years ago in Christchurch when they had an even easier chase of 33 — but lost five wickets getting the runs.

Today’s win was achieved comfortably after Craig Spearman whacked 30 off 36 balls.

Gary Stead was the only wicket to fall but there was bad news for Matthew Horne who had his right index finger broken by Franklyn Rose. He had to retire hurt for five and will miss the second Test starting on Boxing Day Sunday in Wellington.

Although New Zealand had the better of four of the last five days, they had gone into day two with the West Indies 282 for one on a good batting pitch.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming agreed it was one of the team’s better victories. Fleming, who anchored the New Zealand first innings of 393 with a well compiled 66, recorded his ninth win as captain and moved within two wins of Geoff Howarth as the country’s most successful Test leader.

For the West Indians it was their ninth straight Test loss away from home, following the 0-5 loss to South Africa a year ago and a 0-3 loss to Pakistan the previous year.

This result left New Zealand with an unbeatable 1-0 lead with the West Indies best hope to tie the series in the second and final Test.

Captain Brian Lara blamed complacency for his team’s lacklustre performance in throwing away their early advantage.

The West Indies started the day 66 for four — an overall lead of 38 — but they weren’t completely out of the game with first innings century maker Adrian Griffith and Jimmy Adams still at the wicket.

The pair looked safe for seven overs until Cairns switched to around the wicket and enticed an edge from Griffith who was caught behind for 18 after 157 minutes at the crease.

That started a six-over spell in which Cairns took five for 10 as he cleaned up the West Indies tail while a terrible mix-up led to Ridley Jacobs’ run out.

Cairns was on a hat-trick after taking an easy caught and bowled chance from Dinanath Ramnarine but the hat-trick ball just beat the edge of Reon King’s bat.

Adams once again ran out of batting partners and was the last man out, caught at fine-leg by 12th man Shayne O’Connor from a Cairns bouncer.

Scoreboard

West Indies (1st innings) 365
New Zealand (1st innings) 393
West Indies (2nd innings): S Campbell b Cairns 0, A Griffith c Parore b Cairns 18, S Chanderpaul c Parore b Cairns 0, B Lara c Parore b Nash 1, R Powell c Spearman b Vettori 30, J Adams c sub (O’Connor) b Cairns 25, R Jacobs run out 2, F Rose lbw Cairns 3, D Ramnarine c and b Cairns 0, R King lbw Cairns 0, C Walsh not out 5; Extras (7b, 3lb, 3nb) 13. Total (in 53.5 overs) 97.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-0, 3-1, 4-36, 5-78, 6-85, 7-90, 8-90, 9-90.
Bowling: Daniel Vettori 22-12-20-1; Chris Cairns 22.5-10-27-7; Dion Nash 7-1-37-1; Paul Wiseman 2-0-3-0.

New Zealand (2nd innings): G Stead b Walsh 16, M Horne retired hurt 5, C Spearman not out 30, N Astle not out 7; Extras (4b, 1lb, 7nb) 12. Total (for 1 wicket, 15 overs) 70
Fall of wicket: 1-59.
Bowling: Courtney Walsh 8-1-33-1, Franklyn Rose 6-0-28-0, Dinanth Ramnarine 1-0-4-0.