Windies up against it after batting collapses
HAMILTON, New Zealand, CMC – West Indies’ batting crumbled meekly on day two of the second Test against New Zealand here yesterday, leaving the Caribbean side needing a Herculean effort to stay alive in the contesst at Seddon Park.
Replying to the hosts’ 373, the Windies started badly and never really recovered, finishing the day on 215 for eight in their first innings – still 158 runs adrift of the lead.
Not for the first time in recent history, opener Kraigg Brathwaite was the only shining light, leading by example in his first match as skipper with a top-score of 66.
Wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich made a dashing 35, Shimron Hetmyer got 28 while debutant Raymon Reifer was propped up the innings deep in the final session with an unbeaten 22.
But opener Kieran Powell failed to score, Shai Hope and Roston Chase were left still looking for a significant score in the series while rookie Sunil Ambris trod on his stumps for the second time in three innings, to continue his bizarre start to his Test career.
New Zealand’s bowlers were steady without ever being spectacular, with the seam quartet of Tim Southee (2-34), Colin de Grandhomme (2-40), Trent Boult (2-67) and Neil Wagner (2-73) each picking up two wickets.
West Indies had earlier endured frustration as New Zealand converted their overnight 286 for seven into a competitive first innings.
They did well to remove the overnight pair of Tom Blundell (28) and Neil Wagner (1) cheaply for the addition of just 26 runs but were then held up by a lastwicket stand of 61 between Boult and Southee.
Boult played with gay abandon in a 27-ball knock that included five fours and two sixes and Southee joined with a four and a pair of sixes, in an entertaining 39-ball innings.
Seamer Kemar Roach finally ended the innings 45 minutes before lunch when he took a low caught and bowled chance to his right, to remove Southee.
Speedster Shannon Gabriel finished with four 119 and Roach, three for 58, while Miguel Cummins ended with two for 57.
Left with a tricky period to navigate, the Windies’ misery increased when Powell sparred at the sixth ball of the innings from Southee and was caught at the wicket with five runs on the board.
On 24 for one at lunch, West Indies benefitted from two small partnerships afterwards, Brathwaite adding 41 for the second wicket with Hetmyer and a further 44 for the third wicket with NEW ZEALAND 1st Innings (overnight 286 for seven) J Raval c wkp Dowrich b Gabriel T Latham c wkp Dowrich b Cummins *K Williamson c wkp Dowrich b Cummins R Taylor c wkp Dowrich b Roach H Nicholls lbw Reifer M Santner b Gabriel C de Grandhomme b Gabriel +T Blundell b Gabriel N Wagner c Hope b Roach T Southee c and b Roach T Boult not out Extras (lb1, w3, nb12) TOTAL (all out; 102.2 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-154, 3-159, 4-186, 5-189, 6265, 7-275, 8-286, 9-312, 10-373. Bowling: Gabriel 25-4-119-4 (w1, nb7), Roach 23.28-58-3 (nb1), Cummins 20-4-57-2 (w2, nb4), Chase 13-1-90-0, Reifer 17-8-36-1, Brathwaite 4-0-12-0.
WEST INDIES 2nd Innings *K Brathwaite c Southee b de Grandhomme K Powell c wkp Blundell b Southee S Hetmyer c and b Boult S Hope c Taylor b Southee R Chase b de Grandhomme S Ambris hit wkt b Boult +S Dowrich c & b Wagner R Reifer not out K Roach c Boult b Wagner M Cummins not out Extras (b1, w7) TOTAL (8 wkts, 64 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-46, 3-90, 4-112, 5-117, 6-135, 7-169,8-204. To bat: S. Gabriel Bowling: Southee 18-8-34-2 (w1), Boult 19-5-67-2 (w2), de Grandhomme 12-1-40-2, Wagner 15-2-73-2. Position: West Indies trail by 158 runs with two wickets intact. Toss: West Indies Umpires: Rod Tucker, Bruce Oxenford; TV – Ian Gould.