NZ spinner Lennox surpass Warne, Kumble with 14 wickets in Windies ODIs
New Delhi, July 22
New Zealand left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox enjoyed a memorable breakthrough series against the West Indies, finishing with 14 wickets to guide the Black Caps to a 3-2 ODI series victory while matching one of the best bowling returns by a spinner in a bilateral men's ODI series.
Lennox, who was named Player of the Series, claimed 14 wickets across the five matches, equalling Sri Lanka's Akila Dananjaya for the 10th-highest wicket haul by a spinner in a bilateral ODI series. His tally surpassed the best returns achieved in a single bilateral ODI series by legendary spinners Shane Warne, Anil Kumble and Shahid Afridi, all of whom picked up 13 wickets.
The 31-year-old reached the milestone in just his third bilateral ODI series after making his international debut against India earlier this year. India's Amit Mishra holds the record with 18 wickets in a bilateral ODI series, followed by Kuldeep Yadav (17), while Afghanistan's Rashid Khan and India's Yuzvendra Chahal have taken 16 wickets in a series.
Lennox acknowledged that the spin-friendly conditions in the Caribbean worked in his favour but said the tour had been an invaluable learning experience.
"It's been a lot of fun. Playing on pitches that are pretty spin-conducive has been a great learning experience for me," Lennox said.
"These bilateral series are all about learning and gaining experience in foreign conditions, so I'll certainly go home with my pockets full of knowledge.
"I think it's just about the subtleties of the craft. Mitch Santner has been doing it for a long time now, so to be able to be here, watch what he's doing, see how he's operating, and use some of his tricks and subtle variations is what it's all about when you come and play on these surfaces."
Despite losing the series, the West Indies ended the contest on a winning note by clinching the fifth and final ODI by two wickets at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Tuesday.
Shimron Hetmyer remained unbeaten on 69, while Sherfane Rutherford struck 61 as the hosts successfully chased down New Zealand's 268/9 with 15 deliveries to spare. The pair appeared to have taken the game away from the visitors before a late collapse produced a nervy finish.
Player of the Match Hetmyer said his only focus was ensuring the team completed the chase.
"I wasn't really thinking about getting a half-century. I was just thinking about how I could make sure the team crossed the line. Every time a new batter came out, I was just like, 'Make sure you're there at the end.' I'm just happy that I could be there to make sure we crossed the line," Hetmyer said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see how Indian spinners still dominate the all-time list though - Mishra, Kuldeep, Chahal all feature. That shows the depth of spin bowling talent we have. But credit where it's due, Lennox did brilliantly in the Caribbean! 🌟
West Indies batting needs serious help if a New Zealand spinner is taking 14 wickets. They were always strong against spin - what happened? Also, the way they scraped through in the last match shows they're not consistent. Sad to see the decline of Caribbean cricket 😔
Finally some recognition for left-arm spinners! As an Indian fan, I hope we produce more quality left-arm spinners like Jadeja. But this Lennox guy looks promising - his control and subtle variations remind me of how Santner operates. Good to see spinners making impact outside subcontinent! 👏
Mitch Santner's influence is clearly visible - Lennox mentioned him specially. That's what great teams do, they share knowledge. But honestly, Windies batting is a mess. Chasing 269 with 15 balls to spare when you have players like Hetmyer and Rutherford should be routine, not a nervous finish. Need better planning.
The real story here is how spin bowling has evolved globally. Not just subcontinent teams producing quality spinners anymore - NZ, England, Australia all have world-class options now. Lennox's success shows that if you work hard on your craft, conditions don't matter as much. Great learning for young Indian spinners too! 🏏
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