Jayden Lennox claims a maiden five-fer to help New Zealand level the series

Jayden Lennox announced himself on the international stage with a spell to remember, producing a sensational maiden five-wicket haul to propel New Zealand to a hard-earned five-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second One-Day International at Providence Stadium. The left-arm spinner carved through the hosts' batting with figures of 5 for 19 from eight overs, leveling the five-match series at 1-1.

Playing in only his seventh ODI, Lennox proved an unlikely hero on a tricky surface offering plenty of turn, bamboozling the West Indies batters and turning the contest decisively in the Black Caps' favour.

Openers build before spin sparks a collapse

For a brief period, the West Indies appeared well positioned to post a competitive total. After New Zealand won the toss and elected to field, openers John Campbell and Ackeem Auguste laid a promising platform with a solid opening stand, reaching 63 without loss and looking comfortable.

Then the spin arrived, and everything unravelled. Once the opening partnership was broken, the hosts lost all ten of their wickets for just 75 runs, collapsing from a position of relative comfort to be dismissed for a paltry 138 in 36 overs. Campbell top-scored with 43, but found precious little support.

Lennox's masterclass

The architect of the collapse was Lennox, the sixth and final bowler used by captain Mitchell Santner. He removed West Indies captain Shai Hope — the hero of the opening match with an unbeaten 87 — bowling him through the gate for just seven to leave the hosts 86 for three.

From there, he was irresistible. Strikingly, the first four of his five victims were bowled, a testament to his accuracy and sharp turn. He castled Sherfane Rutherford off the inside edge, then returned to bowl both Gudakesh Motie and Matthew Forde in consecutive overs, before fittingly trapping last man Vitel Lawes lbw to complete his five-for.

A place in the record books

Lennox's remarkable return earned him a notable entry in New Zealand's record books. His 5 for 19 stands as the third-best ODI bowling figures ever recorded by a New Zealand spinner, behind only Ish Sodhi's 6 for 39 and the great Daniel Vettori's 5 for 7.

It was a stunning breakthrough for a bowler who had never previously taken more than two wickets in an ODI, having gone through his first six appearances without a major haul. Duly named Player of the Match, he has significantly strengthened his case for a regular role in New Zealand's white-ball attack.

Santner chips in

Lennox was ably supported by his captain. Mitchell Santner showcased his own skills with two crucial top-order wickets, finishing with 2 for 21 from his allocation.

He produced a particularly memorable dismissal to remove Keacy Carty, one of the matchwinners in the opening game, spinning a delivery sharply past the outside edge to graze off stump. Michael Bracewell also contributed with a couple of wickets as New Zealand's attack proved far too disciplined for the hosts.

A few nervous moments in the chase

Faced with a modest target of 139, New Zealand were made to work harder than the total suggested on a pitch offering plenty of turn. Openers Henry Nicholls and Will Young got the chase moving with a positive 35-run stand, but the visitors then lost three quick wickets for 17 runs to wobble to 96 for five.

Among the setbacks was the run-out of Mark Chapman for a second-ball duck, sparked by a sharp piece of fielding at cover by Vitel Lawes, while Daryl Mitchell was stumped for 28 attempting to attack the spinners. For a moment, the West Indies sensed an opening.

Latham sees it home

Standing firm amid the flutter was the experienced Tom Latham, who anchored the innings with a cool and classy unbeaten 37. He found a valuable partner in Bracewell, whose composed 24 not out helped steer the Black Caps safely across the line.

The pair guided New Zealand to 141 for five in 32.4 overs, completing the team's 400th ODI win in the process. The West Indies bowlers, led by Khary Pierre's 2 for 33, never gave up despite the meagre total, but the target was ultimately too small to defend.

The series picture

The result restores parity in a fascinating series. West Indies had drawn first blood in the opener, chasing down 268 with seven wickets and seven balls to spare, but New Zealand's bowlers dictated terms on a very different Providence surface to hit straight back.

With the contest now level at 1-1, the series moves to its concluding stretch. The third ODI will be played in Guyana on Thursday, before the final two matches are staged in Barbados, the first of which has been switched to a day game.

The final word

This was a night that belonged to Jayden Lennox, whose breakthrough spell transformed both the match and, potentially, his international career. For the West Indies, the collapse laid bare familiar batting frailties against quality spin, leaving them plenty to address. New Zealand, meanwhile, will take enormous confidence from the manner of their response as an intriguing five-match series reaches its business end.