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NZ wrap up series with 10-wicket win over WI
Stephen Fleming led NZ to an emphatic 10-wicket victory over the West Indies on the fourth day of the second test.
Stephen Fleming led New Zealand to an emphatic 10-wicket victory over the West Indies on the fourth day of the second cricket Test in Wellington on Monday, to wrap up the series 2-0 with a game to spare.
In terms of overs bowled, the win was achieved in just three days of cricket with only foul weather forcing play into the fourth day.
The West Indies started the day at 118 for four in their second innings and were all out for 215 leaving the New Zealand openers Jamie How and Hamish Marshall to quickly knock off the 36 runs required for the win.
But it was Fleming's man-of-the-match 97 that formed the basis of the commanding 180-run first innings lead that proved too big a hurdle for the West Indies to clear. This is for the first time in New Zealand's cricket history that they have won five successive Test matches.
With Peter Fulton adding 75 and Nathan Astle 65, New Zealand had firm control on the game by the time their innings ended at 372 early on the third day.
The outcome was all but inevitable by the time rain ended play 90 minutes early with most of the West Indies danger batsmen already back in the pavilion.
When the weather cleared and play began an hour late on the fourth day, Chris Martin struck early, tempting Dwayne Bravo to hook to Nathan Astle at square leg, and Daniel Vettori bowled Denesh Ramdin in the last over before lunch to reduce the West Indies to 156 for six.
