HAMILTON: A relentless swing attack spearheaded by Tim Southee left the West Indies struggling for survival with only four wickets left and a 185-run deficit after the third day of the first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton on Saturday.

Only a stubborn century partnership by Jermaine Blackwood and Alzarri Joseph stalled New Zealand’s hopes of dismissing the West Indies twice in one day as grey clouds and occasional showers over Seddon Park created the perfect platform for New Zealand’s swing attack as the visitors started the day at 49-0 and lost 15 wickets for 285 runs.

They were crushed in their first innings for 138-9, with wicket-keeper Shane Dowrich — who suffered a hand injury on the first day — not batting.

At stumps, they were 196-6 in their second innings in reply to New Zealand’s formidable first-innings total of 519-7 declared.

Blackwood was 80 not out, his 13th Test half century, with Joseph on 59, his highest score and their partnership worth 107 runs.

Southee relished the conditions with five wickets in the day, four in the first innings, but said it was difficult to know why it swung as much as it did.

“It tends to swing a lot here so, being a swing bowler that’s obviously nice. We know when we are able to swing it we are a lot more dangerous,” he said.

The remainder of the pace attack cashed in to back up New Zealand’s domination with the bat for most of the first two days when skipper Kane Williamson forged a majestic 251.

The pitch was losing its verdant hue from day one but Blackwood said the West Indies were learning from how Williamson handled the conditions.

“Some of the balls bounced inconsistently,” he said. “I took a page from the Kane Willia­mson book, he played the ball pretty late.”

When the West Indies resumed the day at 49 without loss, Southee removed John Campbell in the opening over to set the bowling blueprint.

He troubled Campbell with three inswingers before tempting the batsman with a wider delivery that was spooned to Williamson at mid-off.

A Southee ball that swung late nicked Shamarh Brooks’s bat and he was caught at first slip for one.

A Trent Boult delivery that pitched on leg stump and jagged back accounted for Kraigg Brathwaite for 21 while classy inswingers from Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner removed Darren Bravo (9) and Roston Chase (11).

Southee was back in action with the wickets of Jermaine Blackwood (23) and Joseph (0) immediately after lunch, leaving Jamieson and Wagner to clean up the tail leaving West Indies captain Jason holder was unbeaten on 25.

The New Zealand bowlers followed the same recipe in the West Indies second innings as they set up the batsmen with a consistent line of delivery for a few balls, then adjusted the angle and wickets followed.

Campbell, who faced five balls in the morning, lasted only three in the second innings when he nicked a Boult delivery that Tom Latham just managed to get his fingers under.

Bravo attempted to dominate the bowling with three boundaries before short-ball specialist Wagner pitched one on a length that was edged to Southee in the slips.

Wagner ended that over with the wicket of Brooks (two) and the carnage continued at the start of the next over when Southee had Brathwaite (10) caught behind.

Holder, who had multiple lives including being dropped on successive balls, saw his luck run out on eight to give all-rounder Daryl Mitchell his first Test wicket.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings 519-7 declared (K.S. Williamson 251, T.W.M. Latham 86, K.A. Jamieson 51 not out; S.T. Gabriel 3-89, K.A.J. Roach 3-114).

WEST INDIES (1st Innings, overnight 49-0):

K.C. Brathwaite c Blundell b Boult 21

J.D. Campbell c Williamson b Southee 26

S.S.J. Brooks c Taylor b Southee 1

D.M. Bravo b Jamieson 9

R.L. Chase lbw b Wagner 11

J. Blackwood c Latham b Southee 23

J.O. Holder not out 25

A.S. Joseph c Mitchell b Southee 0

K.A.J. Roach b Jamieson 2

S.T. Gabriel lbw b Wagner 1

S.O. Dowrich absent injured -

EXTRAS (B-8, LB-7, W-1, NB-3) 19

TOTAL (all out, 64 overs) 138

FALL OF WKTS: 1-53, 2-55, 3-55, 4-79, 5-79, 6-119, 7-119, 8-135, 9-138.

BOWLING: Southee 19-7-35-4; Boult 17-5-30-1 (1w); Jamieson 13-3-25-2; Wagner 15-3-33-2 (3nb).

WEST INDIES (2nd Innings, following-on):

K.C. Brathwaite c Blundell b Southee 10

J.D. Campbell c Latham b Boult 2

D.M. Bravo c Southee b Wagner 12

S.S.J. Brooks c sub b Wagner 2

R.L. Chase lbw b Jamieson 6

J. Blackwood not out 80

J.O. Holder lbw b Mitchell 8

A.S. Joseph not out 59

EXTRAS (LB-7, W-8, NB-2) 17

TOTAL (for six wkts; 42 overs) 196

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-25, 3-27, 4-27, 5-53, 6-89.

BOWLING (to-date): Southee 8-1-40-1 (1w); Boult 10-1-47-1 (1w); Wagner 11-0-62-2 (1nb); Jamieson 10-2-33-1 (6w); Mitchell 3-0-7-1 (1nb).

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2020