New Zealand beat West Indies by 81 runs in 1st T20

AUCKLAND: Nathan McCullum took 4-24, removing the cream of the West Indies´ batting lineup Saturday, as New Zealand won the first of two Twenty20 cricket internationals by 81 runs to lead to two-match series 1-0.

McCullum, playing his 50th T20 international, dismissed Andre Fletcher for 23, Kieran Powell for 12, Dwayne Bravo for 10 and Andre Russell for 0 in the space of four overs, slicing through the top and middle order as the West Indies were held to 108-8 in reply to New Zealand´s 189-5.

Jimmy Neesham removed opener Johnson Charles for 16, then returned to dismiss Chadwick Walton for 5 and Sunil Narine for a second-ball duck, taking 3-16 as New Zealand overwhelmed the tourists on a slow pitch at Eden Park.

Earlier New Zealand had given W-Indies a 189 run target through B.McCullum (60) and a quick 48 off 25 balls by L.Ronchi with the aid of 3 fours and 4 sixes.

Tino Best with 3-40 and NO. Miller with 2-26 bowled well for the West-Indies.