Blackcaps v West Indies: Clean sweep eludes New Zealand as T20 finale rained out

Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has taken player-of-the-series honours, as the Blackcaps wrapped up a 2-0 victory over West Indies at Mt Maunganui's Bay Oval.

After winning out the first two encounters at Auckland and the Mount over the weekend, New Zealand hoped to complete a sweep of their rivals in cricket's shortest form, but were confounded by rain that threatened throughout the day and began immediately after the toss.

With regular T20 skipper Tim Southee stepping down to begin test preparation, Mitch Santner was handed the leadership role and won the toss, sending the reigning world champions to the crease.

Play was delayed by showers and when it finally began, the 'Calypso Kings' reached 25/1 in the third over, before the match ended for good.

Santner and Ferguson both bowled expensive opening overs, but the latter added to his wicket tally, when opener Brandon King skied a catch to Jimmy Neesham on the third-man boundary for 11 runs off seven balls.

Two dot balls into Hamish Bennett's first over, the rain sent players scampering for cover and they never returned.

At 9:19pm, Santner shook hands with counterpart Kieron Pollard, as both agreed there was little point continuing.

"As a whole, we're very happy with the way we went about our business," Santner told Spark Sport. "West Indies are a very tough side and have shown that, so to win 2-0 was very pleasing.

"It's a little disappointing. West Indies have come along way and we had to do the quarantine, so to not get a full series was a bit of a shame, but I think we can take a lot of positive out of the first two games.

"Different guys stepped up at different times, some young players showing as well, so some very good signs for us going forward."

Ferguson took out individual honours, primarily for his five-wicket haul that kept his team in a tight opening contest at Eden Park, but the award could just as easily have gone to batsman Glenn Phillips for his scintillating ball-striking that yielded 22 runs off six balls in Auckland and 108 off 51 two days later.  

The series success halted a seven-game losing slump in the short format and gives New Zealand a solid launching pad to prepare for next year's World Cup in India.

The two sides will now shift their focus to long-form cricket, when they move to Hamilton for the first of two tests, starting Thursday.

West Indies 25/1 (2.2 overs of 20) - Fletcher 4*, Mayers 5*, Fletcher 11, Ferguson 1/13

Match called off for rain, NZ win series 2-0

Join us on Thursday for live updates of the Blackcaps v West Indies first test