Close New Zealand 176 in 49.4 overs (McMillan 69, Gayle 3-27) v West Indies - no result
scorecard

Rain came to New Zealand's rescue after a storm ended the match, preventing West Indies from chasing a modest target of 176.

"We've probably been saved by the weather in this game," said New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming. "This is probably the best scenario for us."

Players and umpires had just re-taken the field for the West Indies innings at Sabina Park when the heavens opened. There has been criticism about staging five limited internationals and two Tests in the Caribbean during the rainy season. It's easy to see why.

The rain lasted for more than an hour and when it stopped umpires Billy Doctrove and Asoka da Silva ruled that the outfield was too wet. Much of the water on the outfield had spilled out of the covers as they were being removed.

West Indies captain Carl Hooper clearly felt victory had been his for the taking.

"I dont think it would have been a difficult target," Hooper said. "I would have preferred to be in our position than New Zealand's."

Earlier, New Zealand's innings got off to a poor start after they won the toss and batted. Merv Dillon and Cameron Cuffy removed the first three batsmen for 14 runs and only Craig McMillan, with a gutsy innings of 69, could master a Sabina Park wicket of variable bounce. Most New Zealand batsmen had only themselves to blame for their poor shot-selection though.

New Zealand have not played competitive cricket for a month since their tour of Pakistan was dramatically aborted when a bomb exploded outside their hotel in Karachi, and it showed.

Pacemen Merv Dillon and Cameron Cuffy soon had New Zealand in trouble in the opening overs. Nathan Astle was the first to go, caught at second slip by captain Carl Hooper in the third over from a Dillon delivery that jagged back into him.

One over later New Zealand's captain Stephen Fleming attempted an ambitious pull, but only succeeded in falling flat on his back and lobbing a gentle catch to Ryan Hinds at square leg, plunging his side into trouble at 5 for 2.

Dillon, Cuffy and the left-arm seamer Pedro Collins tied down the batsmen, who could only manage 28 from the first 10 overs. Chris Nevin was Cuffy's second victim, then the veteran Chris Harris holed out to Collins at deep square after being tied down by part-time spinner Chris Gayle.

McMillan and Lou Vincent then stabilised the innings, putting on 67 as McMillan notched his 15th one-day half-century to continue a rich vein of form. But Vincent was trapped leg-before by Collins for 20, and McMillan was finally caught at deep mid-on by Gayle, as he tried to smash Ryan Hinds for six. His 69 came from 101 balls and took 143 minutes.

Allrounder Scott Styris was caught and bowled by Collins, Daryl Tuffey was caught in the deep by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and then Daniel Vettori lost his off stump trying to sweep Hooper.

Dillon and Cuffy bowled tightly, taking two wickets apiece in their 10-over spells, while Gayle surprised with 3 for 27 from 9.4 overs and Ryan Hinds finished with 2 for 19.

New Zealand's fast bowler Shane Bond hit the only six of the innings, as he and the debutant Paul Hitchcock added 21 for the last wicket. Bond finished unbeaten on 19.

Teams
West Indies 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Wavell Hinds 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Brian Lara, 5 Carl Hooper (capt), 6 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 7 Ryan Hinds, 8 Ridley Jacobs (wk), 9 Pedro Collins, 10 Merv Dillon, 11 Cameron Cuffy.

New Zealand 1 Stephen Fleming (capt), 2 Nathan Astle, 3 Chris Nevin (wk), 4 Craig McMillan, 5 Lou Vincent, 6 Chris Harris, 7 Scott Styris, 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 Paul Hitchcock, 10 Daryl Tuffey, 11 Shane Bond.

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