New Zealand cricket coach Andy Moles saw enough between the raindrops to be satisfied his bowling attack can contain the West Indies batting threats as their one-day series seeks to get off the ground in Christchurch on Saturday.
Moles felt New Zealand left Queenstown today with momentum after the series opener was washed out 35.4 overs into the West Indies innings yesterday.
Unseasonal weather conspired to ruin another cricketing spectacle in the lower South Island, three weeks after the first test lost two days -- and any prospect of a result -- to rain.
New Zealand felt the most aggrieved when the traditional New Year's match fell foul of the weather for the first time since the Queenstown Events Centre hosted the Black Caps for the first time since 2003.
By reducing the West Indies to 129 for five, they appeared well placed to maintain their recent dominance over the former world champions.
Instead they had to settle on reflecting on an impressive bowling performance, particularly from seamer Kyle Mills, injury-jinxed medium pacer Jacob Oram and captain Daniel Vettori.
"It's obviously disappointing the game was cut short because the little bit we did see, we managed to get in a very strong position," Moles said before the team left Queenstown.
"The one day format of the game, we have good history in and we showed again when we applied pressure the team looked very dangerous."
The New Zealand bowlers finessed their plans for specific batsmen after the Twenty20 series was shared 1-1 and they seemed to be implemented successfully.
"We spoke about certain areas we wanted to bowl to certain players and the guys performed really well," Moles said.
"It was particularly pleasing that when we wanted to put on the squeeze Dan and Jake (Oram) bowled really well."
After Mills and Mark Gillespie made the early inroads by removing openers Chris Gayle and Sewnarine Chattergoon, Oram and Vettori clammed up the West Indies scoring rate by conceding just 42 runs from 14 overs.
Oram conceded just 16 from his six overs, the tall allrounder showing no ill-effects from his recent calf problem.
"There were no twinges, it's really good to see him," Moles said.
"With Jake and Dan (1-26 from eight) bowling together they managed to build up pressure really well. Any good one-day side knows you need combinations of bowlers and those two bowl well together."
Mills was also singled out for praise after his opening seven-overs tied up the free-scoring Gayle.
"He showed what an experienced bowler he is by taking the pace off the ball," Moles said after the 88-game veteran returned one for 23.
Currently ranked fifth on the International Cricket Council's one-day international bowling ladder, Mills is on an upswing after feeling distinctly unloved during the second test stalemate in Napier.
Mills only delivered six overs in the West Indies second innings -- a marathon 145-over occupation notable for Gayle's 197.
However, he got back into the groove opening the bowling in the Twenty20 matches and is clearly a focal point of the ODI attack.
While he is assured of playing at AMI Stadium, an appraisal of the drop-in wicket tomorrow will determine whether New Zealand make any changes.
Offspinner Jeetan Patel could come into contention at the expense of Gillespie or Tim Southee. Patel bowled successfully in tandem with Vettori during New Zealand's last ODI in Christchurch, the rain-affected 34-run victory over England via the Duckworth-Lewis system in February.
Meanwhile, the West Indies remain guarded over the possibility of Shivnarine Chanderpaul playing at the weekend after he missed yesterday's game with a sore left hand.
The muscle injury flared during his unbeaten 126 in the first innings in Napier and although he played both Twenty20s he has been on light training since.
West Indies captain Gayle said a decision may be left until shortly before the toss.
He acknowledged the 238-game veteran was an essential component of the side either in the middle order or as an opener -- and he admitted New Zealand probably had the better of yesterday's game.
However, there were at least two caveats. New Zealand won a crucial toss and were able to bowl in difficult batting conditions and although Gayle made light of the incident post match his innings of 25 was cruelly cut short when incorrectly given out caught behind.
NZPA
