A scintillating unbeaten century by Martin Guptill in his first appearance for New Zealand counted for little when rain forced the abandonment of the fourth one-day international against the West Indies.
Guptill, who was dropped three times before he had reached fifty, struck an unbeaten 122, the highest score by a New Zealander on debut and the second highest score in all ODIs for a debutant, to help the hosts to 275 for four in 50 overs.
The West Indies, spearheaded by captain Chris Gayle, had reached 47 without loss in reply when the rain arrived for the first time midway through the ninth over and once play resumed, their target was revised to 235 to win in 40 overs.
But having added only 17 more runs from 11 balls, the rain, which has plagued the series, returned and the match was called off leaving the tourists on 64 for no loss with Gayle unbeaten on 46 and Sewnarine Chattergoon 17 not out.
The teams head to Napier for the final match with the series level at 1-1.
Despite the damp end to the match, it was a day of milestones for Guptill, who struck eight boundaries and two sixes in his impressive 135-ball knock in front of his home crowd at Auckland's Eden Park.
He became the first New Zealander to score a century on debut and the fifth player overall as well as overhauling Stephen Fleming's score of 90 on debut against India in the 1993-94 season.
Guptill was called in for the axed Jamie How after Wednesday's win in Wellington and was then promoted to opener when Jesse Ryder was dropped for the match after a late-night drinking session in the New Zealand capital.
The 22-year-old made the most of his opportunity as he formed a third-wicket stand of 144 runs with Ross Taylor, who followed up his unbeaten 51 in Wellington with another well-crafted half-century today.
The pair showed great composure and rotated the strike well, particularly when Lionel Baker, in for the injured Jerome Taylor (calf strain), and Brendan Nash, who replaced Kieron Pollard, put the clamps on in the middle part of the innings.
The Aucklander then combined with fellow debutant Neil Broom to smash 56 runs off the last 5.4 overs as the Kiwis upped the tempo to set the West Indies a decent run chase.
Broom's 24 not out took only 17 balls and included two huge sixes but it was Guptill's efforts that really stood out.
He brought up his fifty, which included six boundaries, with a single off Baker but smashed Gayle for a massive six - his first of the innings - to bring up a deserved maiden ton.
It could have been a very different tale had the West Indies fielded better in the opening 10 overs. Wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin dropped a chance he should have taken when Guptill was on 15 and the opener was dropped twice more by Nash, although one was a difficult caught-and-bowled chance.
But the right-handed Guptill rode his luck and with Taylor, who was eventually bowled by Fidel Edwards for 75, helped New Zealand rebound from the loss of two quick wickets as Brendon McCullum (26) and the recalled Mathew Sinclair (two) both edged behind to Ramdin off successive Baker overs to leave New Zealand 74 for two.
Baker finished with figures of two for 29 off his 10 overs, although Edwards could feel aggrieved his efforts were not rewarded with better figures than one for 65 off his 10-over quota after McCullum was dropped when on 14.
By the time Taylor was dismissed in the 44th over, New Zealand had moved on to 218, and although Daniel Flynn departed without scoring, Broom and Guptill ensured the innings finished with a flourish.
Rain intervened early in the West Indies run chase but by then Gayle had already smashed two boundaries and two huge sixes off New Zealand's new-ball bowler Kyle Mills.
Gayle was 35 not out and Chattergoon, who replaced Xavier Marshall at the top of the order, unbeaten on 11 when the weather halted play for the first time.
Gayle carried on from where he left off once play resumed just over an hour later with 235 runs required in 40 overs.
He struck a boundary and heaved a six down the ground into the sightscreen in the first three balls of Tim Southee's first over to reach 46, only for the rain to intervene again, bringing the match to a premature end.
