New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor smashed a fine century but it was not enough to prevent West Indies wrapping up the One-day series with a 24-run win in Saturday's fourth match. Taylor, playing in his first match of the series after injuring his shoulder in an earlier Twenty20 international between the two sides in Florida last month, made 110 off 115 balls.
It was an innings which included six boundaries and five sixes for his sixth one-day century. But as his team chased a 267 target, he was outshone by West Indies seamer Tino Best who marked his recall to the team with 4-46, a performance which included the wickets of Taylor and the dangerous Jacob Oram.
Earlier, Kieron Pollard hit a patient half-century as West Indies recovered from 105-5 to make 264 all out.
Victory gave West Indies an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series which concludes with the fifth and final match at Warner Park on Monday. West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine, who took 2-20, was named man of the match and he won rich praise from Taylor.
"You have got to give credit to West Indies," said Taylor. "They were under pressure. We would have liked to put the foot down on the throat, but we didn't execute well.
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SCOREBOARD
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WEST INDIES
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J. Charles c Williamson b Bracewell 1
C. Gayle lbw b Southee 16
D. Smith c Taylor b Southee 0
M. Samuels lbw b N. McCullum 46
D. Bravo c Boult b Oram 18
K. Pollard c B. McCullum b Oram 56
D. Thomas c Taylor b Nicol 37
D. Sammy c Guptill b Boult 26
A. Russell c Guptill b Oram 29
S. Narine not out 6
T. Best b Southee 3
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Extras: (lb5, w20, nb1) 26
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Total: (all out; 49.5 overs) 264
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Fall of wickets 1-17, 2-19, 3-20, 4-59, 5-105, 6-190, 7-202, 8-234, 9-258, 10-264
Bowling: Bracewell 10-2-58-1 (1w), Boult 10-2-47-1 (5w), Southee 9.5-1-53-3 (1nb, 1w), Oram 10-1-42-3 (3w), N. McCullum 4-0-34-1 (5w), R. Nicol 6-1-25-1 (1w)
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NEW ZEALAND
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R. Nicol c Bravo b Sammy 35
M. Guptill lbw b Best 0
B. McCullum c Sammy b Russell 10
R. Taylor c Sammy b Best 110
K. Williamson lbw b Narine 3
T. Latham c Thomas b Samuels 32
N. McCullum c Sammy b Best 11
J. Oram b Best 6
D. Bracewell c Pollard b Narine 5
T. Southee run out (Thomas) 3
T. Boult not out 1
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Extras: (b5, lb10, w8, nb1) 24
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Total: (all out; 49.3 overs) 240
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