New Zealand v West Indies: 10 things you need to know

West Indies will take on New Zealand in the last quarter-final match at Wellington. (Source: AP)

NEW ZEALAND

Captain: Brendon McCullum
Coach: Mike Hesson
Squad: McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Daniel Vettori, Luke Ronchi, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult, Mitchell McClenaghan(Full Coverage| Venues | Fixtures)

Results so far at 2015 World Cup:

Beat Sri Lanka by 98 runs (A solid batting performance from the batsmen saw New Zealand post 331-6, which the bowling attack easily defended by bundling out Sri Lanka for 233)

READ: Style of cricket we’re playing has served us well

Beat Scotland by three wickets (New Zealand skittled Scotland for 142 but then lost seven wickets in a nervous chase to win by three wickets)

Beat England by eight wickets (Tim Southee picked up seven wickets for 33 as England were all out for 123. Brendon McCullum then blasted 77 in 25 balls as the co-hosts reached their target in 12.2 overs)

READ: From a smiling ‘loser’ to the glue that binds West Indies together

Beat Australia by one wicket (New Zealand held their nerve to beat trans-Tasman rivals Australia by one wicket in a low-scoring thriller. Boult took five wickets for New Zealand while Starc did the damage for Australia with six wickets)

Beat Afghanistan by six wickets (Daniel Vettori stifled Afghanistan with four wickets for just 18 runs off his 10 overs and then McCullum hit 42 off 19 balls as New Zealand chased down the 187-run target with six wickets in hand)

Beat Bangladesh by three wickets (Mahmudullah’s 128 took Bangladesh to 288-7 but it was not enough as Martin Guptill scored 105 to help his team to victory after early hiccups)

Top performers:
Guptill (261 runs): With one hundred and a fifty, Guptill has been the ideal opening partner for the aggressive McCullum. He has carried on when the captain has departed early.

McCullum (257 runs): The New Zealand captain has scored three fifties and has mauled opposition bowlers, with a strike rate of almost 188 per hundred balls.

Boult (15 wickets): The left-arm paceman has been unplayable on occasions with the new ball and his partnership with Southee at the start has been very fruitful for New Zealand.

Southee (13 wickets): Southee has been accurate and has swung the ball in both directions, tormenting top order batsmen alongwith Boult.

Vettori (13 wickets): The former captain has ensure that his team have picked up wickets in the middle of the innings after the opening burst from Boult and Southee. The left-arm spinner has also been very economical, conceding just above three runs an over.
– –
Key to beating West Indies: Will need to get Gayle out early and see off the opening spell from fast bowler Taylor.
– – – –
WEST INDIES
Captain: Jason Holder
Coach: Stuart Williams
Squad: Holder, Marlon Samuels, Sulieman Benn, Johnson Charles, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Nikita Miller, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor
– –
Results so far at 2015 World Cup:
Lost to Ireland by four wickets (A fine hundred from Lendl Simmons was not enough as the bowlers failed to defend a score of 304-7)

Beat Pakistan by 150 runs (A fiery spell from the fast bowlers reduced Pakistan to 1-4, chasing 311 for win, and West Indies bundled Pakistan out for 160)

Beat Zimbabwe by 73 runs (Duckworth/Lewis method)(Gayle smashed the World Cup’s highest individual score of 215 and Samuels also hit 133 as West Indies posted 372-2. Zimbabwe were all out for 289 in reply)

Lost to South Africa by 257 runs (AB de Villiers’ 66-ball 162 gave South Africa a taotal of 408-5, which proved too steep for West Indies who were all out for 151)

Lost to India by four wickets (West Indies just managed 182 after opting to bat first and India chased down the target with 10.5 overs to spare, losing six wickets)

Beat UAE by six wickets (Captain Holder took four wickets to bundle out UAE for 175. West Indies chased it down in 30.3 overs with six wickets in hand)
– –
Top performers:
Gayle (279 runs): The powerful left-hander is capable of destroying any attack on his day and he showed it against Zimbabwe by hitting 215, the World Cup’s highest individual score.

Taylor (14 wickets): The fast bowler is the leader of the pace attack and is Holder’s go-to man when the team are in need of wickets.
– –
Key to beating New Zealand: Gayle will be the key to West Indies’ success against a very potent New Zealand attack. But the left-hander would need to see off the burst from Southee and Boult with the new ball.
– – – –
New Zealand v West Indies head-to-head:
Total played: 60
West Indies won 30, New Zealand won 23, no result 7

Never met at Wellington Regional Stadium
Last match: Jan. 8, 2014 – West Indies won by 203 runs in Hamilton (Compiled by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Nick Mulvenney)

Source:: Indian Express