BRIDGETOWN (Barbados), June 23: A stubborn 31 by nightwatchman Daryl Tuffey helped put New Zealand in a commanding position at lunch on the third day of the first Test against the West Indies on Sunday’s.
Tuffey’s personal Test best helped New Zealand reach 69 for four at the interval, a lead of 299.
Stubborn batting frustrated pacemen Pedro Collins and Darren Powell and his 144-minute innings included a fine pull for six from Powell, one ball after surviving an appeal for a catch.
West Indies captain Carl Hooper only got rid of Tuffey with the last ball before lunch, Chris Gayle taking a catch at slip.
On Saturday, New Zealand took control moving 234 runs ahead with nine second-innings wickets in hand by the close of the second day.
Slow left-armer Daniel Vettori claimed four for 27 as West Indies were dismissed for a meagre 107 in 42.1 overs in their first innings reply.
Only three West Indies batsmen — opener Wavell Hinds with 11, Brian Lara with 28 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul with 35 not out — reached double figures as the New Zealand bowlers dominated on a variable pitch.
But New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming decided not to enforce the follow on and the tourists lost the wicket of Mark Richardson, caught for a duck by Lara off the pace bowling of Pedro Collins, to reach the close on four for one.
NEW ZEALAND (1st innings)
M.Richardson b Sanford 41
L.Vincent c Jacobs b Dillon 14
S.Fleming c Gayle b Hooper 130
C.Harris c Lara b Collins 0
N.Astle c Lara b Dillon 2
C.McMillan lbw b Sanford 6
R.Hart not out 57
D.Vettori c Hinds b Collins 39
D.Tuffey lbw b Powell 28
S.Bond b Powell 5
I.Butler run out 3
EXTRAS (lb-8 nb-4) 12
TOTAL (all out) 337
FALL OF WKTS: 1-38 2-88 3-89 4-106 5-117 6-225 7-278 8-323 9-333
BOWLING: Dillon 28-6-73-2 (nb-2), Collins 24-5-80-2 (nb-2), Powell 21-6-41-2, Sanford 28.4-7-101-2, Hooper 13-5-21-1, Gayle 10-3-12-0, Sarwan 1-0-1-0
WEST INDIES (1st innings)
C.Gayle c Vettori b Bond 3
W.Hinds c McMillan b Tuffey 11
R.Sarwan c Butler b Bond 0
B.Lara b Vettori 28
C.Hooper c Tuffey b Butler 6
S.Chanderpaul not out 35
R.Jacobs c Astle b Vettori 4
P.Collins c Vincent b Butler 8
A.Sanford c Hart b Butler 1
D.Powell c Harris b Vettori 0
M.Dillon c Fleming b Vettori 0
EXTRAS (lb-3 nb-8) 11
TOTAL (all out, 42.1 overs) 107
FALL OF WKTS: 1-6 2-6 3-31 4-47 5-62 6-73 7-90 8-93 9-103
BOWLING: Bond 12-1-35-2 (nb-3), Tuffey 7-3-16-1, Butler 11-2-26-3 (nb-5), Vettori 12.1-2-27-4
NEW ZEALAND (2nd innings) (overnight 4-1)
M.Richardson c Lara b Collins 0
L.Vincent lbw b Collins 2
D.Tuffey c Gayle b Hooper 31
C.Harris lbw b Powell 19
N.Astle not out 12
EXTRAS (lb-3 nb-1 w-1) 5
TOTAL (for four wickets) 69
FALL OF WKTS: 1-0 2-11 3-48 4-69
TO BAT: S.Fleming, C.McMillan, R.Hart, D.Vettori, S.Bond, I.Butler
BOWLING (to date): Collins 13-5-22-2, Powell 9-3-22-1 (w-1), Dillon 6-3-11-0 (nb-1), Sanford 4-1-10-0, Hooper 1.4-0-1-1—Reuters