ROSEAU, Dominica : Andre Fletcher hit 62 off 49 deliveries while Sheldon Cottrell and Sunil Narine starred with the ball as West Indies beat New Zealand by 39 runs on Sunday in their second and final Twenty20 match to draw the series 1-1.
Right-hander Fletcher's top score, spiced with three fours and three sixes, led the home team to 165-6 off 20 overs at Windsor Park. Lendl Simmons contributed 36 and Trent Boult led the Kiwi bowlers with 2-22.
New Zealand's pursuit got a spirited start through Kane Williamson (37) and Brendon McCullum (21) but the visitors were eventually bowled out for 126 off 19.1 overs. Only Ross Taylor (21) offered much resistance as the tourists lost their last six wickets for 13 runs with Cottrell and Narine to the fore.
Left-arm pacer Cottrell took 3-28 while off-spinner Narine grabbed 2-19 from four miserly overs. Simmons and Fletcher, who notched his second straight half century, set up West Indies' competitive total after they were sent in. The right-handed pair shared a second wicket stand of 66 in 52 balls.
There were aggressive contributions in the lower order as well as the West Indies smashed 56 runs off the last five overs. Captain Darren Sammy hit 10 off three balls and Andre Russell ended 14 not out off seven deliveries.
New Zealand lost Jimmy Nessham (7) at 8-1 when he slashed Cottrell to backward point. But Williamson, captain for the day, shared successive stands with McCullum and Taylor to boost the Black Caps. New Zealand was still in with a chance at 82-2 in the 12th over before a late collapse. Samuel Badree claimed McCullum while Narine bowled Taylor to start the rot.
Two run outs toward the end also damaged New Zealand's run chase.
