NELSON: Martin Guptill made a timely return to form with a well compiled 81 as New Zealand reached 285-6, batting first against the West Indies in the fourth one-day international Saturday.

After scores of two and one in his previous two innings in the series, the opener was intent on spending time at the crease after New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat.

He crawled to eight off 40 deliveries before cracking his first boundary when he drove a full length Dwayne Bravo delivery back over the bowler´s head and beyond the sightscreen.

From there, Guptill never looked back as he batted at nearly a run a ball for the remainder of his innings which included four fours and two sixes.

Jesse Ryder, fresh from cracking the world´s sixth fastest one day international century in New Zealand´s rollicking 159-run victory in the third one day game on Wednesday, survived two scares to score the bulk of the early runs.

After being dropped by Denesh Ramdin on 12 and Bravo at first slip when on 13, both comfortable chances off Jason Holder, Ryder raced to 47 in 49 balls before Ramdin held a catch off Bravo.

Kane Williamson was also dismissed for 47, taking six more deliveries than Ryder, before he was caught behind off Tino Best.

Holder was let down by his fielders.

After having Ryder put down twice he then had Brendon McCullum dropped by Nikita Miller off the first ball he faced.

McCullum had a brief stay at the wicket for 14 and Ross Taylor was needlessly run out for 49.Corey Anderson, who set a world record ODI century in 36 balls in the third match, ended the innings with a huge six to finish on an unbeaten 17 with Nathan McCullum on nine.

Bravo was the most successful West Indies bowler with two for 35.

Both sides made two changes with New Zealand bringing in Tim Southee, who was not available for the earlier ODIs, and Kane Williamson for Adam Milne and James Neesham.

The West Indies replaced Ravi Rampaul and Kieran Powell with Tino Best and Kirk Edwards. Rampaul has a broken finger and became the sixth injured first-choice ODI player in the West Indies squad.

The five-match series is tied one-all with one game washed out. (AFP)

SOURCE: AFP