Edwards, Bravo Power West Indes Draw Level

Hamilton: Kirk Edwards' maidan ODI hundred and Dwayne Bravo made 2nd ODI century and Kieran Powell struck 73 from 44 balls as the West Indies crushed New Zealand by 203 runs in the fifth one-day international on Wednesday, leveling the five-match series 2-2.

Edwards made 123 not out and shared a 211-run fourth wicket partnership with Bravo (106) as the West Indies reached 363-4, their highest-ever one-day score, batting first after losing the toss.

The mammoth total was the highest ever posted by the West Indies in a 50-over match, surpassing the previous mark of 360 set against Sri Lanka in 1987.

Opener Kieran Powell had launched a blistering assault at the start of the innings, smashing 73 runs off just 44 balls with 12 fours and two sixes.

He plundered 18 off a single Mitchell McClenaghan over, with one lucky spectator winning NZ$100,000 ($83,000) from a beer sponsor by catching one of his sixes one-handed.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum brought on his brother Nathan to try to stem the runs and the tactic paid off almost immediately when Powell was out lbw for 73, trying to sweep.

Fellow opener Johnson Charles was run out for 31 when Nathan McCullum sent the stumps flying with a direct hit as the batsman attempted a quick single and Lendl Simmons followed soon after, caught by Kane Williamson.

Bravo came to the crease and steadied the innings with Edwards, who smashed a six to notch his half century.

The West Indies bludgeoned 117 off the last 10 overs, with Bravo out trying to smash Williamson out of the ground.

New Zealand made a disastrous start, slumping to 65 for five after just 15 overs through a combination of rash shots and a much-improved West Indian attack.

The Black Caps openers went cheaply, with Martin Guptill out lbw for six and dangerman Jesse Ryder (17) scooping the ball skyward going for a slog.

Brendon McCullum failed to stop the rot coming in the middle order, offering Johnson Charles a simple catch when he charged down the wicket to a seemingly innocuous delivery from Nikita Miller, who finished with figures of four for 45.

A luckless Luke Ronchi dismissed himself for 15 when he dislodged the bails with his foot as he squared up for a shot, in a sign nothing was going the Black Caps' way.

Nikita Miller then took 4-45 as the West Indies rolled New Zealand for 160 in 29.5 overs in reply. It was New Zealand's second-largest one-day loss in terms of runs.

The West Indies won the first match of the series by two wickets, while New Zealand won the third by 159 runs and fourth by 158 runs. The second was lost to rain.

Earlier, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and sent the West Indies in to bat.

The Black Caps named the same team that won by 58 runs in Nelson last Saturday.

The West Indies made two changes, bolstering the batting by bringing in Kieran Powell for Narsingh Deonarine and including all rounder Andre Russell at the expense of Tino Best.

Teams:

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (Capt.), Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Nathan McCullum, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills, Mitchell McClenaghan.

West Indies: Dwayne Bravo (Capt.), Johnson Charles, Kieran Powell, Kirk Edwards, Lendl Simmons, Chadwick Walton, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Nikita Miller.

Brief scores
West Indies 363 for 4 (Edwards 123*, Bravo 106, Powell 73)
New Zealand 160 (Miller 4-45)
Result West Indies won by 203 runs
MOM Dwayne Bravo (West Indies)