Jayden Lennox’s 4-wicket haul and Tom Latham’s calm 31* guided New Zealand to a 6-wicket win over West Indies in the 3rd ODI at Providence.
Spin Wizardry Triggers Another West Indies Collapse
West Indies suffered another major batting collapse against New Zealand’s dominant spinners in Guyana on July 16, 2026. The clinical visitors secured a hard-fought six-wicket victory at the Providence Stadium to take a vital 2-1 lead in the five-match ODI series. For the second match in a row, the home team’s batsmen completely failed to read the turning ball, throwing away a promising start to hand the advantage to a highly disciplined Black Caps outfit.
Slow left-arm unorthodox spinner Jayden Lennox was once again the destroyer-in-chief for New Zealand. Fresh off a match-winning five-wicket haul in the previous game, Lennox continued his phenomenal form on the Caribbean tracks. He tore through the West Indies middle-order, mixing fine drift with subtle changes of pace.
The hosts were bowled out for a meager 140 runs in 37.1 overs. Only Keacy Carty showed any real fight for the Men in Maroon, top-scoring with a patient 48 off 77 deliveries. Carty tried his best to anchor the innings, but he lacked sustained support from the other end. Jayden Lennox finished with superb figures of 4 for 52 from his 10 overs, while skipper Mitchell Santner and the seamers provided brilliant economic pressure to completely choke the scoring rate. See also: Joe Root’s Masterful 99* Levels Series
Young Vitel Lawes Makes New Zealand Work for Glory
Chasing a modest target of 141, New Zealand expected a comfortable stroll across the finish line. However, teenage prodigy Vitel Lawes had completely different plans. The 19-year-old left-arm wrist spinner, who has enjoyed a highly impressive start to his international cricket career, bowled with immense courage and skill to ensure the visitors had to work incredibly hard in their chase.
Lawes extracted a sharp turn from the pitch, causing massive trouble for the Kiwi top-order batsmen. He struck early by removing opener Will Young and then dismissed dangerous middle-order batter, Dean Foxcroft. Lawes finished with commendable figures of 3 for 39, breathing heavy fire into the West Indian defense and giving the home crowd something to cheer about.
Latham’s Composure Seals the Match
Despite the intense pressure applied by young Lawes, veteran batsman Tom Latham stepped up to guide New Zealand home safely. Showing his vast experience against high-quality spin, Latham played an incredibly calm and unbeaten innings of 31 runs. He firmly anchored one end, refused to play high-risk shots, and ran brilliantly between the wickets.
Latham found a reliable partner in Mark Chapman, and together they neutralized the remaining threat of the West Indies bowling attack. New Zealand comfortably reached 141 for 4 in the 34th over to lock in their victory. With only two matches remaining in the series, the action stays at Providence, where a wounded West Indies team must find a quick fix for their spin troubles to keep the series alive.
