Gabriel strikes, WI claw back
HAMILTON: Shannon Gabriel took three wickets as the West Indies recovered from an ineffectual start to fight their way back into the second Test against New Zealand on day one in Hamilton on Sunday. At stumps, the hosts were 286 /7 with Tom Blundell on 12 and Neil Wagner on one.
After a rollicking start, in which New Zealand punished some wayward bowling, they reached 154 for one before an initial slump saw them fall to 189 for five.
Lusty hitting by first Test century-maker Colin de Grandhomme (58) and Mitchell Santner (24) revived the innings in a 76-run stand before Gabriel bowled them both. The West Indies had been let down by their bowlers early in the innings after winning the toss and chosing to bowl.
Jeet Raval and Tom Latham put on 65 for the first wicket and Raval and Kane Williamson added further 89 for the second before the West Indies produced a golden spell either side of the tea break. In 74 balls, and for only 35 runs, they removed Williamson, Raval, Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls.
With the tourists switching to a short-ball attack the game turned with the dismissal of Williamson, caught behind by Shane Dowrich off Miguel Cummins.
Dowrich caught the first four wickets to fall, while Cummins was the most impressive of the bowlers with two for 37 while Gabriel took three for 79.
Williamson and Raval were progressing effortlessly having put on 89 when Cummins fired in a short delivery which Williamson edged down the leg side for Dowrich to take. Raval reached 84 when he edged a good-length ball from Gabriel.
Kumar Roach removed Taylor seven deliveries after tea while Nicholls, become Raymon Reifer’s first Test wicket when he was trapped lbw for 13.
Reifer, the only change to the West Indies side, was called up for his debut Test to replace the suspended Jason Holder, while New Zealand also made one change with Tim Southee replacing Matt Henry.
The West Indies need to win the Test to square the twomatch series after New Zealand won the first Test by an innings and 67 runs in Wellington.
NZ 286/7 (J Raval 84, De Grandhomme 58, S Gabriel 3/79, M Cummins 2/37) vs West Indies