Jacob Duffy’s maiden five-wicket haul put New Zealand in command of the first Test against the West Indies on Day 2 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. The right-arm seamer Jacob Duffy registered figures of 5 for 34 in 17.4 overs as the West Indies were bundled out for 167 in their first innings, giving New Zealand a lead of 64 runs. Seamer Jacob Duffy claimed a maiden five-wicket haul to secure New Zealand a handy first innings lead and the upper hand in the opening test against West Indies at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval on Wednesday.
Jacob Duffy claimed five for 34 to help bundle out West Indies for 167 in a spectacular collapse from 100 for two at one stage. Opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Shai Hope made half-centuries in their otherwise feeble reply to New Zealand’s first innings total of 231.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : There is a slight chance of precipitation during the first session of play. Barring any interruptions during that time of the day, there could be slight drizzles throughout with overcast conditions. At the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, teams batting second have generally come out victorious on 10 occasions out of the 16 Tests played at the venue. With overcast conditions, the ball could be expected to move laterally on Day 1.
Toss : West Indies skipper Roston Chase won the toss and chose to bowl with Kemar Roach returning to test cricket after a long time and debutant Ojay Shields in the playing XI . NZ skipper Tom Latham batting first had 4 seamers in the Playing XI.
Day 1 : Pacers give West Indies strong start on rain-hit Day 1
Roston Chase chose to bowl in gloomy conditions and comeback man Roach struck straight away. In the first over of the day, he had got Devon Conway to nick a ball that nipped away from the left-hander, to Greaves at second slip. Midway through the fourth over, the players were forced off the field by showers that persisted for long. When play resumed, only seven more overs were possible before it began to rain again and brought an end to the session, with New Zealand on 17 for 1.
Clear skies greeted Kane Williamson in the post-Lunch period which he began with two exquisite boundaries – a shortish delivery cut behind square and a full one driven through extra cover. In the following over, Roach offered a full delivery and Williamson played an on-drive for his third boundary.
Williamson got to his 38th Test fifty, playing out the first hour of the second session with ease in the company of Tom Latham. On the other side of the break, however, Greaves squared up Williamson. The former captain edged a ball to Alick Athanaze at second slip, who took a sharp, low catch. In his next over, Greaves went full and got Latham to edge one behind to Tevin Imlach.
It proved to be a tricky hour of play for New Zealand as they lost two more wickets leading up to Tea break. Seales went round the stumps and beat Rachin Ravindra on the outside edge and knocked back his stumps. The left-hander departed for a six-ball three. Will Young then became Johan Layne’s maiden Test wicket.
The fast bowler got a good length ball to shape inwards and created a doubt in the batter’s mind. Young was too late to withdraw his shot and ended up edging the ball to Greaves at second slip. From 94 for 1, New Zealand slipped to 128 for 5 at Tea.
In the final session, Shields got into the act, to pick up his maiden wicket. A full, inswinging delivery earned him that as Tom Blundell inside edged it onto his stumps. Bracewell and Nathan Smith came together to hit back, as they added 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Chase then, broke this partnership with the only wicket off spin in the day. Smith’s eyes lit up with the flight on offer and looked to flick the ball away. But he couldn’t keep it grounded. John Campbell at short mid-wicket dived to take a good catch.
Bracewell’s intention to fight lasted for another 15 runs when he was consumed by the short-ball ploy. Shields dug in a bouncer, which Bracewell took on. However, Chase had stationed Tagenarine Chanderpaul at deep mid-wicket to complete the catch. In the over before bad light put an end to the day’s play, Matt Henry fell in similar fashion – failing to connect with a pull against a short ball from Roach and finding the deep square leg fielder.
West Indies’ pace battery gave a good account of themselves as they picked eight of the nine wickets to fall on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. More than an hour was lost to rain in the morning session but the weather cleared from the second session on, allowing for 70 overs of action. Kemar Roach made a strong return to action, while debutant Ojay Shields and Justin Greaves too complimented him as the trio picked two wickets each to keep New Zealand in check all day.
Day 2 : Jacob Duffy takes five as New Zealand vault into lead on Day 2
Jacob Duffy claimed a maiden five-wicket haul as New Zealand stormed into ascendancy in the first Test against West Indies at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Jacob Duffy mopped up the West Indies lower-order while Matt Henry took three vital wickets as the visitors lost eight wickets for 67 runs to be bowled out for 167. New Zealand’s openers then stretched that first-innings lead to 96 while emerging unscathed out of a seven-over spell at the end of the day.
In stark contrast to how the second half of the day finished, the first half was about West Indies calling the shots. They took just three balls to take the last remaining wicket as New Zealand folded on their overnight score of 231. Conditions continued to be tough for batting in the morning as evidenced by Zakary Foulkes and Henry knocking over John Campbell and Alick Athanaze in no time as West Indies crawled to 10 for 2 in nearly 11 overs of tough batting.
But the going did get easier therafter, thanks in some part to fielding benevolence from New Zealand. Tagenarine Chanderpaul was put down twice at leg gully, both times by Devon Conway. The left-hander then settled down to forge a solid partnership with Shai Hope, who batted with sunglasses because of an eye infection. The first boundary of the innings came as late as the 23rd over when Hope drove Jacob Duffy through the covers.
After being reprieved on 5 and 24, Chanderpaul grew into his innings and was more assured with his defence. Hope got to his half-century shortly after Lunch by when he was being discomforted by New Zealand’s short-ball ploy. Jacob Duffy eventually had him feathering a catch down to ‘keeper Tom Latham, who had donned the gloves after Tom Blundell missed the day’s action with a hamstring injury suffered on the opening day.
The floodgates opened once the 90-run partnership was ended. Henry returned to the attack and in a single over prized out both Roston Chase and Justin Greaves nicking off for ducks. Chanderpaul and Tevin Imlach added 34 for the sixth wicket before Conway atoned for his two fielding gaffes by holding on to a sharp chance at square leg. Having resisted for 168 balls, Chanderpaul attempted to go after a Foulkes short ball and paid the price.
West Indies’ resistance ended effectively after that as Jacob Duffy ran through the lower order to complete a five-fer. New Zealand had a tough few overs to negotiate under fading light but their openers, Conway and Tom Latham managed to not only hold on but also add vital runs before it became dark enough that West Indies could bowl only spinners.
What Lies Ahead.Â
New Zealand are in control of the Test match and they will look to press home the advantage as we expect clearer skies from Day 3 onwards. They already have a 96-run lead and there is plenty of time left in the Test match. West Indies will have to make inroads and strike early in order to make a comeback in the Test match. A herculean task awaits the visitors. Let’s see what the moving day has instore for all of us. New Zealand on top at Christchurch.
Also Read:Â NZ vs WI: Matt Henry Inspired New Zealand Strike Thrice