West Indies Looks Maintain Momentum

Napier: The West Indies feel they have put the disappointment of their Test series against New Zealand behind them as they head into the second one-day international on Sunday full of confidence.

Their two wicket win in the first ODI in Auckland on Boxing Day was the tonic the side needed coming off a 2-0 defeat in the three-Test series.

Although it was another unconvincing display with the bat in Auckland, the run-friendly McLean Park wicket in Napier offers the West Indies top order the chance to spend long spells in the middle on Sunday.

Their front-line seamers Ravi Rampaul, Jason Holder and Dwayne Bravo, who were not part of the Test squad, had the measure of New Zealand in the first ODI as they dismissed their hosts for a modest 156 in the 43rd over.

The West Indies will be forced into at least one change with key batsman Darren Bravo returning home Saturday for undisclosed personal reasons which will likely mean a promotion for Kirk Edwards into the playing XI.

West Indies have two possible replacements for Bravo - Kirk Edwards and Chadwick Walton. While Edwards hasn't played an ODI since mid-2011, the last of Walton's two one-dayers was in September 2009.

If New Zealand make a change it could be the introduction of speedster Adam Milne at the expense of Jimmy Neesham to give the side a genuine quick option.

The toss will also be crucial with the relatively small McLean Park, where scores are hard to defend, tending to favour the side batting last.

An added bonus for the side batting second is the prospect of showers which would bring Duckworth-Lewis into the reckoning if the game is shortened.

The failure of the top order in the first ODI - just 13 runs between Guptill, Ryder, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor - was a serious blow for New Zealand, but it is unlikely to change. It will be interesting to see if New Zealand make a choice to bring in Adam Milne to bolster the bowling, possibly at the expense of James Neesham.

Teams from:

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (Capt.), Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi (wk), Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, James Neesham, Martin Guptill, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Jesse Ryder, Mitchell McClenaghan, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills and Colin Munro

West Indies: Kieran Powell, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Darren Sammy, Narsingh Deonarine, Tino Best, Sunil Narine, Chadwick Walton, Kirk Edwards, Dwayne Bravo (Capt.), Johnson Charles, Jason Holder, Nikita Miller, Ravi Rampaul and Lendl Simmons

Pitch and conditions
The pitch at McLean Park is known to be a good batting track. The square boundaries are shorter, which will demand discipline from bowlers on both sides. The weather, however, is predicted to play spoilsport, with forecasts indicating rain.

Stats and trivia

Ross Taylor is 82 short of becoming the ninth New Zealand batsman to score 4000 ODI runs. His average of 38.79 is better than the eight New Zealand players who have scored more than him.
New Zealand have won all three previous ODIs against West Indies in Napier.

Match facts
Sunday, December 29 2013 (day/night)
Start time 1400 local (0100 GMT)

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