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Kiwis are blown away by Walsh

Tony Crozier
Tuesday 14 February 1995 00:02 GMT
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West Indies 660-5 dec

New Zealand 216 and 122

West Indies win by an innings and 322 runs

As if their centenary celebrations were not already riven by enough internal strife, the first of the specially-invited guests contrived to further spoil New Zealand cricket's party yesterday.

Paying no heed to the occasion, the West Indies administered defeat in the second and final Test by lunch on the fourth day. The innings and 322 runs margin was the widest their hosts had endured in the 229 Tests they have played since 1928.

It was the latest embarrassment in a year being rapidly transformed into a nightmare. After this defeat, Ken Rutherford, his position as captain increasingly tenuous, complained that he was not consulted on the selection of the team for the one-day series involving Australia, India and South Africa that starts tomorrow. The odds are lengthening on the entire board, or Rutherford, or both, coming out of the season intact.

New Zealand already had no hope, barring the weather, when the fourth day started. But once the morning broke brilliantly sunny, their lack of resolve reflected the sorry state of affairs off the field.

Behind by 444 on first innings and already 52 for 3, they lost their last seven wickets for 70 and capitulated a quarter of an hour before lunch. The destroyer was again Courtney Walsh, who took 5 for 13 on the day, 6 for 18 in the innings and 13 for 55 in the match. Those figures represented the best return in a Test at the Basin Reserve Ground and only Michael Holding has done better in a Test, with his celebrated 14 for 142 against England at The Oval in the drought summer of 1976.

Walsh accepted the man of the match award and the series trophy, announcing at the same time that his temporary captaincy was over now that Ritchie Richardson was back to full fitness.

(Fourth day; West Indies won toss)

West Indies - First Innings 660 for 5 dec (J C Adams 151, B C Lara 147, J R Murray 101no).

New Zealand - First Innings 216 (D J Murray 52, C A Walsh 7-37).

New Zealand - Second Innings

(Overnight: 52 for 3)

D J Murray b Walsh 43

S P Fleming b Walsh 30

S A Thomson b Dhanraj 8

A C Parore not out 5

M N Hart c Ambrose b Dhanraj 1

M L Su'a c Adams b Walsh 8

S B Doull lbw Walsh 0

D K Morrison c Murray b Walsh 14

Extras (nb4 lb2) 6

Total 122

Fall (continued): 4-70 5-93 6-93 7-97 8-106 9-106.

Bowling: Walsh 15.2-18-6; Benjamin 8-0-36-1 (nb4); Ambrose 5-1-17-1; Dhanraj 12-2-49-2.

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