LONDON, July 10: Stephen Fleming lashed a superb half century to take New Zealand to 266 all out against West Indies in the triangular one-day series final at Lord's on Saturday.

New Zealand, playing in their first one-day match at Lord's, were bowled out in 49.2 overs and had looked set for over 300 at one stage but were slowed by rain stoppages, loose shots and more disciplined West Indies bowling.

Openers Fleming and Nathan Astle had dominated some wayward early bowling with some flowing back foot shots, with Fleming striking nine fours in his 67 off 66 balls.

They shared in a 120-run opening stand with Astle playing more conservatively for his 57 from 81 deliveries. Fleming was undone by a loose cut stroke straight to Chris Gayle at backward point off the bowling of the lively Dwayne Bravo.

Astle was out in the same manner and was clearly annoyed with his choice of shot.

Ramnaresh Sarwan, with one-day best figures of three for 31, and Dwayne Smith, one for 27, helped limit New Zealand after Tino Best in particular had been costly in the first 15 overs.

West Indies were continually poor in the field and Shivnarine Chanderpaul even collided with Ian Bradshaw in the deep when taking a catch off Best to dismiss Craig McMillan for a steady 52.

Chris Cairns was dismissed in bizarre fashion for five, a wide from Sarwan hitting wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs and rebounding onto the stumps with Cairns out of his ground.

Fleming rode his luck early on, Gayle dropping an easy chance when he was on seven and Astle cut to Ricardo Powell at backward point on 30 only for the third umpire to rule Powell had let the ball touch the ground.

The West Indies all-rounder left the field with an injured finger following the chance and did not bowl.

The match started in bright sunshine after Brian Lara won the toss and opted to bowl. The team winning the toss and chasing have won all six completed games in the series so far.

But rain soon fell and the players were forced from the field twice only to return minutes later.

Rain remained in the air and if the full 50 overs a side are not completed on Saturday a reserve day has been set aside on Sunday.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:

S.P. Fleming c Gayle b Bravo 67

N.J. Astle c Gayle b Bravo 57

H.J.H. Marshall c Sarwan b Gayle 44

S.B. Styris c Powell b D.R. Smith 1

C.D. McMillan c Chanderpaul b Best 52

C.L. Cairns st Jacobs b Sarwan 5

J.D.P. Oram c Jacobs b Best 15

C.Z. Harris c and b Sarwan 1

D.L. Vettori c D.R. Smith b Sarwan 6

G.J. Hopkins run out 0

I.G. Butler not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-8, W-9, NB-1) 18

TOTAL (all out, 49.2 overs) 266

FALL OF WKTS: 1-120, 2-143, 3-146, 4-217, 5-233, 6-249, 7-252, 8-265, 9-266.

BOWLING: Best 7.2-0-57-2 (1nb, 2w); Bradshaw 6-1-28-0 (1w); D.R. Smith 10-1-27-1; Bravo 10-0-67-2 (3w); Gayle 10-0-48-1; Sarwan 6-0-31-3 (3w).

WEST INDIES: C.H. Gayle, D.S. Smith, R.R. Sarwan, B.C. Lara, R.L. Powell, S. Chanderpaul, D.R. Smith, D.J.J. Bravo, R.D. Jacobs, I.D.R. Bradshaw, T.L. Best.

UMPIRES: D.R. Shepherd (England) and R.E. Koertzen (South Africa).

TV UMPIRE: J.W. Lloyds (England).

MATCH REFEREE: G.R. Viswanath (India).-Reuters