MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Rain washed out the third and final Twenty20 International between New Zealand and the West Indies on Monday, leaving the hosts with a 2-0 winners of the three-match series.

Only 2.2 overs were possible before heavy rain forced the players from the field at Bay Oval. The rain set in and umpires called off the match at 9.20pm local time.

The West Indies, sent in after losing the toss, were 25-1 with Kyle Mayers not out 5 and Andre Fletcher on 4.

Brandon King was out for 11, caught by Jimmy Neesham from the bowling of fast bowler Lockie Ferguson.

The abandonment was a particular blow for all-rounder Mitchell Santner, who was named to captain New Zealand for the first time and who bowled the opening over.

Santner took over from Tim Southee who, with Ross Taylor and Kyle Jamieson, was released to join the New Zealand Test squad.

New Zealand won the first T20 by five wickets and the second by 72 runs against a West Indies outfit that only emerged from coronavirus (Covid-19) quarantine last Thursday.

Ferguson was named man-of-the-series after taking five for 21 in the opening fixture, plus one wicket apiece in the second and third matches.

The first of two Tests between New Zealand and the West Indies begins at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Thursday.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES:

A.D.S. Fletcher not out 4

B.A. King c Neesham b Ferguson 11

K.R. Mayers not out 5

EXTRAS (W-5) 5

TOTAL (for one wkt, 2.2 overs) 25

FALL OF WKT: 1-16.

DID NOT BAT: N. Pooran, R. Powell, K.A. Pollard, F.A. Allen, R. Shepherd, H.R. Walsh, S.S. Cottrell, O.J. Thomas.

BOWLING: Santner 1-0-12-0 (2w); Ferguson 1-0-13-1; Bennett 0.2-0-0-0.

NEW ZEALAND: M.J. Guptill, T.L. Siefert, D.P. Conway, G.D. Phillips, D.J. Mitchell, J.D.S. Neesham, M.J. Santner, S.M. Kuggeleijn, I.S. Sodhi, L.H. Ferguson, H.K. Bennett.

RESULT: match abandoned; New Zealand win three-match series 2-0.

UMPIRES: S.B. Haig (New Zealand) and W.R. Knights (New Zealand).

TV UMPIRE: C.M. Brown (New Zealand).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Lockie Ferguson.

FIRST MATCH: Auckland, New Zealand won by five wickets.

SECOND MATCH: Mount Maunganui, New Zealand won by 72 runs.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2020