Jayden Lennox surpasses ODI spin greats with remarkable series haul

BARBADOS: New Zealand spinner Jayden Lennox etched his name into the record books after producing a Player of the Series performance during the Black Caps' 3-2 ODI series victory over the West Indies in the Caribbean.

The left-arm spinner claimed 14 wickets across the five-match series, equalling the 10th-highest wicket haul by a spinner in a bilateral men's ODI series between two international teams.

Lennox's tally surpassed the best bilateral series returns of legendary spinners Shane Warne, Anil Kumble and Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, all of whom managed 13 wickets in their finest individual ODI series. His haul also matched Sri Lanka spinner Akila Dananjaya's 14 wickets against South Africa in 2018.

The achievement was made even more impressive by the fact that it came in only Lennox's third bilateral ODI series. 

The 31-year-old made his international debut against India earlier this year and has quickly established himself as a key figure in New Zealand's bowling attack.

Reflecting on his breakthrough series, Lennox credited the spin-friendly Caribbean pitches while emphasising the invaluable experience gained from playing in unfamiliar conditions.

"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 New Zealand sealing the series, the West Indies ended the contest on a high by claiming a dramatic two-wicket victory in the fifth and final ODI in Barbados on Tuesday.

The hosts successfully chased down New Zealand's total of 268-9 with 15 deliveries to spare, thanks to unbeaten 69 from Shimron Hetmyer and a vital 61 by Sherfane Rutherford.

Hetmyer and Rutherford appeared to have the chase firmly under control before a late flurry of wickets created a tense finish at Kensington Oval. However, the home side held their nerve to complete the chase and avoid a series whitewash.

Player of the Match Hetmyer said his sole focus was ensuring the West Indies crossed the finish line rather than reaching a personal milestone.

"I wasn't really thinking about getting a half-century, to be honest. I was just thinking about how I could make sure the team crossed the line," Hetmyer said.

"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."