West Indies beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the first ODI at Providence, Guyana, as 19-year-old Vitel Lawes took 3-54 in the first professional cricket match of his life.
According to ESPNcricinfo’s match report, the left-arm wristspinner — picked for the series before he had played a single first-class, List A or T20 game — struck with his sixth ball in senior cricket, removing Henry Nicholls, then had Mark Chapman stumped with a dream delivery and later dismissed Michael Bracewell. Alzarri Joseph led the attack with 4-41 as New Zealand were held to 267 despite Daryl Mitchell’s 65, before the hosts eased home with seven balls to spare to lead the five-match series 1-0.
Wisden had profiled Lawes ahead of the series after his ten wickets at 22.70 at the last Under-19 World Cup earned a shock call-up, and the teenager delivered on the biggest night of his young career.
Keacy Carty And Shai Hope Seal The Chase
The chase belonged to Keacy Carty and Shai Hope. After opener Akeem Auguste made 38, the pair added 131 for the third wicket, Carty falling agonisingly short of a century on 95 before Hope finished unbeaten on 87 to complete the win.
Victory is a significant early strike in a series New Zealand entered already reshuffling their pace attack through injury, with pace call-up Matt Fisher going wicketless on the night. For a West Indies side with World Cup qualification on the line this cycle, a teenager’s fearless debut may prove the most valuable result of all.
