#CWC15: Record-breaking Guptill slams NZ into semis

Sport360 staff 12:11 21/03/2015
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  • Hats off: Martin Guptil scored 237 from 163 balls, including 24 fours and 11 sixes.

    Martin Guptill became the first man to score a double hundred in a Cricket World Cup knockout match and propelled co-hosts New Zealand into the semi-finals as they claimed a 143-run win against West Indies.

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    The 28-year-old batsman was dropped in the first over before going on to score 237 from 163 balls – including 24 fours and 11 sixes, one of which found the roof of Wellington's Westpac Stadium in the final over.

    The record-breaking innings, which was the second highest one day international score of all time behind Indian Rohit Sharma's 264, helped New Zealand to 393 for six.

    In reply, West Indies were all out for 250 in 30.3 overs, with Trent Boult claiming four for 44 to become the leading wicket taker in the tournament.

    New Zealand will face South Africa in the semi-finals while Australia play India in the other match. It could have been so different, though, had Marlon Samuels held a the catch just three balls in which would have sent Guptill back to the pavilion.

    Guptill also survived two lbw shouts, but New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum had less luck at the other end as he fell for 12 runs. Kane Williamson had put on 33 before falling to Andre Russell, whose wide delivery ended up with Chris Gayle at short cover. 

    Guptill was perhaps guilty of ball-watching when Ross Taylor was run out for 42 but he atoned for it by reaching his second 150 in ODIs with a single off Sulieman Benn. Corey Anderson was then caught by an off-pace delivery from Russell, shuffling across to pull the ball across to Gayle at midwicket for 15.

    Grant Elliott was then dismissed on review but Guptill drilled Russell's first delivery of the 48th over to long-off for a four that made World Cup history. Luke Ronchi departed for nine but Guptill held firm hitting a six which ended up on the roof of the stadium in the final over to wrap up his stunning innings.

    In reply, the West Indies stuttered, with Johnson Charles out for three in the second over before Lendl Simmons departed for 12 as they rocked on 27 for two. Samuels (27) applied a steadying hand with the free-hitting Gayle (61), but when the former was caught brilliantly by Daniel Vettori with a one-handed catch on the boundary, wickets again started to fall at regular intervals.

    Denesh Ramdin was the next man put, lbw by Boult for a duck before Gayle was clean bowled by Adam Milne. Sammy hung around for 16 balls for his 27 but after he and Jonathan Carter (32) were dismissed, West Indies were left hanging in on 173 for seven. Russell (20) and Jerome Taylor (11) put up little resistance with Jason Holder the last man out for 42.

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