New Zealand’s bowlers again ripped through the West Indies’ batting lineup to push them to the brink of a comprehensive victory in the second and final Test match as they reduced the touring side to 244/6 in their second innings at the end of the third day Sunday.
Bad light forced the players off the Basin Reserve about an hour before the scheduled end and umpires called play off just before 6pm (0500 GMT).
Captain Jason Holder was on 60 and Joshua da Silva 25 not out as the West Indies managed to push the game into a fourth day but they are in danger of another heavy defeat when they return Monday, still trailing New Zealand by 85 runs.
The host, who won the first Test in Hamilton by an innings and 134 runs, scored 460 in their first innings with Henry Nicholls notching his highest Test score of 174.
The visiting side were dismissed for 131 in their first innings early Sunday and New Zealand captain Tom Latham had little hesitation in enforcing the follow on.
Opener John Campbell (68) and Shamarh Brooks (36) provided some early resistance in their second innings with an 89-run stand for the third wicket.
Kyle Jamieson bagged five wickets in a masterclass of swing bowling as New Zealand struck hard and fast to have the West Indies on the ropes on day two of the second and final Test match in Wellington Saturday.
Posted by Sports Tribune on Saturday, 12 December 2020
The rest of the batsmen, however, were again unable to handle New Zealand’s four-pronged pace attack of Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson and their ability to generate late swing in overcast and chilly conditions.
Holder brought up his ninth Test half century when he pulled a short Wagner delivery to the mid-wicket boundary for his seventh four.
He also hit two sixes.
Boult, who did not take a wicket in the first innings, finished the day with 3/75 in the second.
The West Indies had resumed their first innings Sunday on 124/8, still 336 runs behind, but lasted just 4.4 overs as Southee grabbed the last two wickets to finish with 5/32, his 11th five-wicket haul in Tests.
2ND TEST, DAY 3
WEST INDIES 131 in 56.4 overs (f/o) (Southee 5/32, Jamieson 5/34) & 244/6 in 65.4 overs (Campbell 68, Holder 60*) trail NEW ZEALAND 460 by 85 runs