Hosts New Zealand have taken a 1-0 lead in their three-match Test series after winning the second game by nine wickets at Basin Reserve
Jacob Duffy took 5-38 as New Zealand’s makeshift bowling attack skittled West Indies for 128 on the third day of the second Test at Basin Reserve to set up a nine-wicket victory for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Missing several frontline seamers and without Blair Tickner, who dislocated his shoulder fielding on day one, the Black Caps still ripped through the West Indies line-up to give their batters a modest victory target of 56 runs.
Devon Conway, who was unbeaten on 28, and Kane Williamson, who was 16 not out, got the home side across the line before tea at the cost of one wicket to ensure New Zealand cannot lose the series with just next week’s Tauranga Test to come.
It was Duffy’s second consecutive five-wicket haul in the series and he was ably assisted by fellow seamer Michael Rae, who took 3-45 for a six-wicket match haul on his Test debut at the age of 30.
“The way the guys bowled today was awesome. I thought it was just a great team performance. And we got the job done on day three. How good?” said Duffy, who was playing his third Test.
“I’m so stoked for (Michael Rae), he’s been pushing for that for a long time and … six wickets on debut is nothing to scoff at. He did the hard yards today into the wind so I could come down it, so I’m very appreciative for that.”
West Indies had fashioned a great escape to get away with a draw in the first Test in Christchurch last week and, trailing by 73 runs after the first innings, needed another Herculean effort to stay alive in the New Zealand capital.
But it never materialised, with Kavem Hodge their highest scorer on 35 and only two of his teammates able to get past the 20-run mark.
Resuming on 2-32, the Windies batted solidly for the first half an hour before calamity struck when Hodge ran out Brandon King for 22 and Rae removed Shai Hope caught and bowled for five in the same over.
With Duffy, who was playing his third Test, to the fore, the wickets continued to fall at regular intervals until the last man Ojay Shields had a wild swing at a delivery from the seamer that sent it high to Rae at fine leg for a comfortable catch.
“I think the batting is a bit of a concern,” said West Indies skipper Roston Chase.
“We got some starts in the first innings, but no one really went big, and then in the second innings, no one really got a start. So I think that’s where we went wrong.
“There’s still one Test match left and we can still level the series, so it’s all still to play for.”
The third Test starts at Bay Oval next Thursday.
