WELLINGTON, Dec 12: New Zealand claimed the upper hand in the second Test on Thursday, restricting the West Indies to 158-4 with key batsmen Darren Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul back in the pavilion.

At the end of the rain-abbreviated second day, in which only 63.1 of the scheduled 90 overs were bowled, the West Indies trailed New Zealand’s first innings total of 441 by 283 runs.

Only Kirk Edwards and Marlon Samuels provided any stern resistance with well compiled half centuries. Samuels was not out on 50 and Narsingh Deonarine was on 11.

New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson, in only his fourth Test, made the crucial breakthroughs for his team, removing first Test double-centurion Bravo for four and Edwards for 55.

West Indies captain Darren Sammy felt his side had lost two more wickets than was good for them, but he was more critical of the way his bowlers failed to contain the New Zealand batsmen.

The West Indies made a positive start to their innings as Edwards and Kieran Powell progressed to 46 with New Zealand new-ball partners Trent Boult and Tim Southee moving the ball around and finding plenty to appeal about, but failing to persuade the umpires.

Southee was eventually rewarded with an lbw decision against Powell on 21 while Boult came back in his second spell to remove Chanderpaul.

Bravo, unable to reproduce his marathon innings of the first Test, faced 12 balls before he edged Anderson to second slip Peter Fulton.

Edwards, who had looked assured on his way to a half century, was undone by a full Anderson delivery which he tried to turn to the leg side but sent a leading edge to Hamish Rutherford at cover.

Anderson, who has figures of two for 20, helped remove Chanderpaul for six when he took a fine catch at cover point. New Zealand resumed the day at 307-6 and added a further 134 runs to be all out on the stroke of lunch.

It was an impressive total on a wicket rated favourable to the quick bowlers, although the West Indies were guilty of too many short, wide, deliveries.—AFP