AUCKLAND, March 9: Scott Styris starred for New Zealand on Thursday, backing up an unbeaten century with two wickets in three balls to even the honours on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies.

Styris joined Nathan Astle to pull New Zealand out of the mire when they were four for 69 and helped them to a respectable 275.

Then, when the West Indies were 47 without loss, it was Styris who joined Chris Martin in a lethal nine-ball spell which saw three wickets fall for just three runs.

At stumps the West Indies were 51 for three with Ramnaresh Sarwan on three and master batsman Brian Lara yet to score. The intended night-watchman Ian Bradshaw was out for nought.

When Shivnarine Chanderpaul won the toss and elected to bowl he was immediately rewarded. New Zealand’s experimental novice top order failed, and captain Stephen Fleming could do no better as the hosts slid to 69 for four.

The innings was salvaged by 103 not out from Styris, his fifth Test century, and 51 from Astle, with the next highest score coming from 26 extras.

Jamie How and Hamish Marshall, opening a Test for the first time, were both out for 11, Peter Fulton made 17 on his Test debut, and Fleming was out for 14 as the West Indies controlled the first session.

Apart from How, who was run out when a straight drive from Marshall deflected off Bradshaw’s hand on to the stumps, the other three batsmen were all guilty of rash shots rather than exceptional bowling.

Astle wrested the momentum back for New Zealand as he raced to 51 in quick time after lunch. He then became a victim of his expansive style when an attempted drive off Dwayne Smith saw an edge fly to the safe hands of Denesh Ramdin.

Styris kept up the charge but received little support from the other end, apart from a flurry from Brendon McCullum who hit four boundaries in his brief stay at the crease for 19.

As he ran out of partners, Styris was forced to step up the pace and took 15 off one Bradshaw over including a six.

With only last man Chris Martin for company he blasted 14 runs and reached his century with a cover drive to the boundary before Martin was out without scoring.

Smith, with three for 71, and Bradshaw who took three for 73, shared the bowling honours.

Chris Gayle, who had been out of sorts in the recent one-day series, looked more at home in his Test whites as he and Daren Ganga saw off New Zealand’s opening bowlers.

But the introduction of Martin and Styris, in a final throw of the dice by Fleming before stumps, brought instant results.

Martin had Ganga caught by How at point for 20, and then Styris dismissed Bradshaw in identical fashion without scoring. Two balls later he had Chris Gayle caught behind by Brendon McCullum for 25.

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