Sport

NZ players prove good Samaritans

13:13 pm on 30 January 2020

New Zealand players Jesse Tashkoff and Joey Field proved good Samaritans on Wednesday when they helped ease a double dose of pain suffered by West Indies batsman Kirk McKenzie in their Under-19 World Cup quarter-final.

McKenzie had the misfortune to have to retire hurt on 99 after suffering leg cramps but courageously decided to return to face the final 14 deliveries of the innings after West Indies had lost their ninth wicket.

After struggling to hobble back to the middle, however, he was dismissed first ball - still one short of his century.

Kirk McKenzie of West Indies is treated by medical staff after suffering severe cramp on 99. Photo: Photosport

Cue the intervention of the New Zealand duo, who carried the badly cramped McKenzie off the field while being applauded back to the pavilion by the fans at Benoni's Willowmoore Park in South Africa.

McKenzie's misery was compounded when New Zealand, in a seemingly hopeless position at 153-8, amazingly chased down their target of 239 with Field and Kristian Clarke compiling a ninth-wicket stand of 86 to eke out a two-wicket win.

-Reuters