While much of the sporting world’s attention was focused on the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, New Zealand and West Indies played out a tense one-day international at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, with both teams paying tribute to Sir Gary Sobers.New Zealand beat West Indies by one wicket in a low-scoring match to take an undisputed 3-1 lead in the five-match ODI series.team leader Mitchell Santner New Zealand led the way with an unbeaten 34 runs, steering the lower-ranked teams through the final stages. No. 11 Jayden Lennox also played an important role, completing 10 passes in an unbeaten nine-point run with Santner to help the visitors cross the line.Lennox was named Man of the Match in both the first two games for his bowling performances.Earlier, Mark Chapman hit a top score of 80 for New Zealand while West Indies were bowled out for 188 in a two-paced affair.Three runs were needed with one wicket remaining and Santner was dismissed before Lennox survived a fall and LBW appeal. New Zealand finally reached the target in 35 balls.“It was very confusing, especially the ending,” Santner said. “You try to keep the total number down. Even 10 or 15 partners can go a long way at that stage.“It probably shouldn’t have been that close, but it was nice to get over the line.”The match comes two days after the death of Sir Gary Sobers, who died on Friday aged 89. Playing in Sobers’ hometown of Bridgetown and the Kensington Oval where he built his career, West Indies will be hoping to honor the memory of one of the country’s greatest cricketers with a win.Both teams wore black armbands, the flag flew at half-mast, two seats in the Sir Gary Sobers Pavilion were empty and a minute’s silence was observed before the game.Widely regarded as the greatest West Indies cricketer and one of the best all-rounders in the history of the game, Sobers scored over 8,000 Test runs and took over 200 wickets.West Indies’ hopes of a proper tribute suffered an early setback when New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl. The team batting second has now won all four games of the series.The home team scored 58 for 3 and then 81 for 6 before Aamir Jangu and Gurdaksh Mooti added 81 for the seventh wicket to revive the match.Jangoo scored 51 off 71 balls while Motie contributed 41 to take West Indies to 188.Young fast bowler Matthew Fisher took 3 for 40, taking his first ODI wicket for New Zealand.
