Black Caps’ armchair ride
In the end it was an armchair ride, on and off the Basin Reserve.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson hailed ‘‘a brilliant allround performance’’ as the West Indies middle order self-destructed with the bat a second time, and the hosts sealed victory by an innings and 67 runs in the first cricket test.
It took the bowlers - led by man of the match Neil Wagner who took a career-best 9-141 - 106 overs to finish the job but a West Indies collapse hastened the end on day four.
From an imposing 231-2 on a dream batting surface they lost 5-57 either side of lunch including their two best batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite (91) and Shai Hope (37). By 2.30pm it was all over, West Indies flailing to 319 all out and poor Miguel Cummins writhing on the turf after a nasty hit above the knee from Trent Boult.
Wagner, his fellow bowlers and debut wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, continued the Wellington test victory tradition of a limousine ride up Mt Victoria with accompanying refreshments.
It was largely smooth travel on the field, too, after Wagner’s 7-39 saw West Indies fold for 134 on day one after losing the toss. Some dreadful shots and a well targeted short-pitched barrage did the trick, when the pitch offered less seam assistance than New Zealand expected.
‘‘In the first innings we were fairly fortunate, as well as bowling very well and exploiting the bounce. A lot of dismissals weren’t a regular thing on a first day of a test match,’’ Williamson said.
‘‘We knew as the wicket got flatter it would be a tough job to bowl them out, and it was. At 200-2 the bowlers were exceptional to change their tack and play the long game and be patient.’’
There was no swing, minimal seam movement but the bounce remained.
Spinner Mitchell Santner slammed on the brakes and took the key wicket when he trapped Braithwaite lbw after a 315-minute fightback. Matt Henry and Colin de Grandhomme, new owner of New Zealand’s second-fastest test century (off 71 balls) also kept it tight and eventually Roston Chase, Sunil Ambris and Shane Dowrich gave it away.
It was the fifth result in the last five Basin tests, with New Zealand beating Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and West Indies and losing heavily to Australia and South Africa. That accurately sums up the Black Caps’ standing in the test game.
This young, improving West Indies side should have been put away and they were, as their 22-year winning drought in New Zealand continues.
‘‘I wouldn’t say we surrendered. We just tried to be positive and there was no point just staying out there with two days left in the game,’’ captain Jason Holder said.
‘‘We had to knock off the deficit. I don’t think anybody was reckless at any stage.’’
Holder’s side have bounced back this year, beating England at Headingley after a heavy defeat. The bowling attack is handy and Brathwaite, Hope and young Shimron Hetmyer can certainly bat, but they were way too far behind the game in Wellington after just two sessions.
‘‘There’s no need to panic, it’s one test match gone and it’s a chance to put things right. Hamilton will probably be similar conditions … hopefully we can put up a good first innings total and control the game.’’
New Zealand will also be motivated to finish strongly in Hamilton, starting on Saturday, given their next test isn’t till late March against England.
Wagner aside, de Grandhomme and Blundell were the obvious stars with their respective tons in the first innings of 520-9 after hard toil from Jeet Raval, Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls.
If Seddon Park offers some more swing and seam movement, with Tim Southee likely to return, nothing less than a 2-0 series sweep will be expected after a clinical start in Wellington against mixed resistance.