Tom Latham completed a magical ton and was ably assisted by Rachin Ravindra who himself has made an unbeaten 70 as New Zealand ensured a wicketless afternoon session to go to Tea at 233/2 in 60 overs and a lead of 297 runs. It was hard work for the West Indies bowlers as they toiled hard and dropped catches hurt them as well. West Indies with a session to forget and are well behind in this Test match now.
Tom Latham & Rachin Ravindra counter attacks and drives New Zealand forward.Â
Tom Latham walked out to bat with Rachin Ravindra the new batter with Kemar Roach having to complete his over. Justin Greaves operated from the other end. Ravindra got off the mark in delightful fashion by flicking it through mid-on for a boundary. Ravindra was on a roll as he slashed it behind square on the off-side for a boundary. Roach bowled a maiden over. Ravindra was given a lifeline as Kemar Roach put down a tough chance as Justin Greaves was the unlucky bowler.
Latham then threw his hands at it and got it away to deep backward point for a boundary. Roach bowled another maiden. Ravindra drove Greaves past covers and mid-off for a boundary. Ravindra got a lifeline now as Kavem Hodge put down a sitter at first slip. Roach continued and bowled a decent over. Greaves too bowled a decent over. Layne came back into the attack as Ravindra got a streaky boundary past the slips for a boundary. Ravindra carved it away past the covers for a boundary.
Jayden Seales returned to the attack as Latham completed his half century off 118 balls. His 32nd Test fifty. The lead went past 200 as Ravindra hot a triple as well. Seales continued as Latham survived a LBW call as the ball pitched outside the leg stump as West Indies burnt a review. Layne continued as Ravindra slammed it by pulling it behind square for a boundary as the 50-run stand came up between the two players.
Seales continued and bowled a decent over. Layne continued as Latham nailed the pull shot past midwicket for a boundary. Ravindra managed to get a triple as well. New Zealand reached 163/2 in 47 overs with Latham on 64* and Ravindra on 39* when we paused for Drinks with the lead reaching 227 runs.
Tom Latham’s century and Rachin Ravindra’s half-century both unbeaten puts New Zealand on a dominant position.Â
Jayden Seales continued after the break as Ravindra climbed onto him by hitting him for back-to-back boundaries past deep square leg fielder and then through the point region as well. Ojay Shields came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Roston Chase came back into the attack. Latham got a triple while Ravindra slashed at the ball past right of backward point for a boundary to reach his 5th Test fifty as he got there on 52 balls.
Shields continued and bowled a decent over. Chase too kept things tight. Shields continued as Latham got on top of the bounce and pulled it between deep square leg and deep fine leg for a boundary. Chase continued as Ravindra went deep in his crease and pulled it to deep midwicket for a boundary as the 200 came up for New Zealand in 53.5 overs.
Shields continued as Latham took on the bowler by driving down the ground for a boundary and then pulled him to deep backward square leg for a boundary. Latham entered the 90s. Kemar Roach came back into the attack as Latham was dealing in boundaries as he flicked it to deep backward square leg for a boundary. Chase changed ends and bowled a decent over. Roach continued as Ravindra dispatched the ball by pulling it to deep midwicket for a boundary.
Chase continued and bowled a decent over as well. Roach came to bowl the last over before Tea as Latham hit him down the ground for a triple and reached his magical ton. His 14th Test ton and first after quite a while. Ravindra managed to get a double and then ended the session with a boundary by climbing on the short ball and played the short arm jab to deep midwicket for a boundary. New Zealand reached 233/2 in 60 overs with Ravindra on 70* off 75 balls and Latham on 100* off 179 balls with a lead of 297 runs at Tea on Day 3.
It was a hard toil for the West Indies bowlers in that session of play as they endured a wicketless session. So, the wickets taken were in the morning session in which Ojay Shields and Kemar Roach got amongst the wickets. The rest of the bowlers are struggling at the moment big time.
What Lies Ahead in Evening Session.Â
New Zealand are in pole position in this Test match. They have a lead of 297 runs with 8 wickets in hand potentially 7 with Tom Blundell ruled out with hamstring injury. They are in total control of the game at this stage and West Indies are chasing leather. This was a session that was absolutely dominated by the hosts. Can West Indies show some fight in final session? Only time will tell. Latham has completed his ton and Ravindra is looking good as well.
Let’s see what the evening has instore for all of us.
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