New Zealand beat West Indies in first of two-match series

WELLINGTON: After a staunch effort by the top order, the West Indies batting crumbled for a second time in the first Test to hand New Zealand a win by an innings and 67 runs and a confidence-boosting lead in the two-match series.

Trailing by 386 runs on the first innings, the West Indies started positively on day three and appeared to ready to carry that into yesterday, rallying behind Kraigg Brathwaite’s 91 to reach 231-2. But their second innings disintegrated around the lunch interval, with the arrival of the second new ball, and they lost their last eight wickets for 88 runs.

Brathwaite had anchored the top order, putting on 72 for the first wicket with Kieran Powell (40) and 94 for the second with Shimron Hetmyer (66) and as long as he remained at the crease there seamed a chance the West Indies would at least make New Zealand bat again.

But when he was out nine runs short of his seventh Test century, the West Indies effort unravelled and after fleeting resistance from Shai Hope (37), Roston Chase (18) and Sunil Ambris (18) the second collapse of the match continued with increasing speed.

From 286-5 at lunch, 100 runs behind New Zealand, the West Indies lost 5-33 to be all out for 319.

South Africa-born fast bowler Neil Wagner, who took 7-39 in the West Indies’ first innings and was voted Player of the Match, struggled in the second innings and had 0-85 at stumps on Sunday after a tough third day. But he came to light with two important wickets after lunch on day four – those of wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich and captain Jason Holder who were both century-makers in the West Indies previous Test against Zimbabwe.

Wagner finished with 9-141 for the match, just failing to claim his first 10-wicket haul in Tests but producing the sixth-best match analysis by a New Zealander.

His performance on a flat pitch which didn’t live up to New Zealand’s expectations when they won the toss and bowled outweighed those of Colin de Grandhomme and Tom Blundell, who scored centuries in New Zealand’s only innings.