Martin Guptill, who will be one of the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots’ opening batsmen when they start their Hero Caribbean Premier League campaign in St. Lucia on June 24, top-scored for New Zealand in a rain-marred ODI nail-biter against England on Saturday.
Guptill made a solid 67 as New Zealand struggled to 283 for 9 after being put in to bat in the final match of a high-scoring, evenly matched ODI series that was tied at 2-2 going into the decider at Chester-le-Street, Durham.
The prospects of a dramatic finale to the series seemed to have faded in the chilly north-east of England weather when rain kicked in just before the hosts were to come out to bat.
But another thriller was in store. After a lengthy delay, England were set to make 192 from 26 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis formula, and they clinched the match and the series with an over to spare despite losing a slew of early wickets.