Gayle and Benn help West Indies cross the line by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Event:

West Indies in New Zealand 2008/09

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DateLine: 26th December 2008

 

The pair of Gayle and Benn came together twice to spoil the Kiwis party to win the first Twenty20 match which turned out to be a thriller. All the three formats is allowed to exist together will bring out different results and entertainment to the watching public. In its short history since inception yet another tie was witnessed in the history of Twenty20 International.

 

Chris Gayle's whirlwind display of hitting and Benn's cool composure under pressure twice in the match helped West Indies pull off a thrilling 15-run win in the first ever super over contest in an international Twenty20.

 

Earlier in the evening, winning the toss and batting first the Kiwis batsmen displayed a shoddy performance and would had settle for a much lower score till Taylor's 63 off 50 balls lifted New Zealand to an below average 155 for 7. Taylor looked in complete control and struck four fours and four sixes in total. New Zealand struggled to put together any real partnership of note as the West Indian attack mixed up their pace and length to perfection. The hosts found the lack of pace tough to conquer, with the spinners Gayle and Benn easily the pick of the bowlers. Gayle took 3 for 16 and Benn 1 for 20 off their stipulated four over quota.

 

Gayle's belligerent 67 off 41 gave West Indies a head start in their chase of New Zealand's 155. Gayle was in a murderous mood, hitting five sixes and five fours. West Indies, cruising at 109 for 2, were stopped in their tracks when Gayle departed caught at long off. With the departure of Gayle the West Indies innings also lost its momentum as they stumbled to 114 for 4 with 42 needed off 35 balls. Vettori ended up with 3 for 16 and Patel took 2 for 34 as the spin duo brought New Zealand back into the match

 

With 26 needed off 22 balls, Carlton Baugh lost his cool and skied a sweep shot straight up in the air which McCullum ran to midwicket to claim. Needing seven to win from the final over, West Indies had lost Shawn Findlay from Tim Southee's first ball, slashing a wide delivery to Brendon McCullum. Southee bounced Fidel Edwards first ball before conceding a single to cover on the third. When Jerome Taylor played and missed fourth ball, the pair ran and McCullum threw down the stumps to get Edwards short of his ground. Admirably, Benn kept his cool and edged Southee for four through third man first ball. With two needed to win from the final delivery, he then pushed to point to claim the regulation-time tie.

 

With the scores tied at 155 off the last ball of their innings, the crowd at Eden Park was witness to the latest rule in cricket and, batting first in the one mandatory super over, Gayle thumped Daniel Vettori for 25 runs to put pressure on the three New Zealand batsmen to come.

 

In reply, the left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn held his nerve to take two wickets and concede just 15 from the four legal deliveries he bowled. Jacob Oram was caught in the outfield on Benn's third delivery before Taylor hit the next ball, a shoulder-high no-ball, over the ropes for six. But Benn then yorked Taylor to complete a famous victory for the visitors.