Matt Henry’s double strike alongside Jacob Duffy’s important scalp of Shai Hope tilted the session and scales in New Zealand’s favour. West Indies resuming at 68/2 from the Lunch Break played out the first hour safely and took the score to 97/2 before bringing up the 100. Shai Hope fell for 56 at the score of 100 to Duffy before Henry came back and removed Roston Chase and Justin Greaves to give advantage to New Zealand.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul hung in there as an opener and is still batting on 45* alongside Imlach who has just come out to the middle as West Indies went to Tea at 120/5 and still trailed by 111 runs at Tea on Day 2 under overcast conditions.
Shai Hope & Tagenarine Chanderpaul drives West Indies forward ensuring a wicketless first hour after Lunch.Â
Shai Hope and Tagenarine Chanderpaul came out to resume for West Indies while Zak Foulkes had ball in hand for New Zealand. Foulkes bowled a decent first over after Lunch. Jacob Duffy had ball in hand from the other end as Hope punched the ball past point for a boundary. Foulkes continued and bowled a decent over. Duffy continued as Hope managed to get a triple. Foulkes bowled a maiden. Duffy followed that up with a maiden as well.
Hope broke his shackles as he swivelled and pulled it away past deep midwicket for a boundary. Hope got a triple and reached his half century off 83 balls. Duffy continued and bowled a decent over. Foulkes bowled another maiden over. Duffy hit Hope on the right arm and was in trouble. The physio came and checked on him but he was fine to continue. Duffy bowled another maiden.
Foulkes continued and bowled another probing over. Duffy bowled another decent over. Nathan Smith came back into the attack. He too kept things under check as West Indies reached 97/2 in 42 overs when we all paused for the Drinks Break after Lunch.
Jacob Duffy removes Shai Hope; Matt Henry strikes twice as West Indies are rocked before Tea.Â
Jacob Duffy continued after the Break. He overstepped as the 100 came up for West Indies in 42.5 overs. Duffy then got the huge scalp of Hope for 56 off 107 balls with 4 fours to his name thanks to excellent usage of DRS. Duffy bowled back of a length down the leg as Hope shuffled across and looked to glance but seemed to have missed it. The appeal for caught behind was turned down. They went for the DRS and Ultra Edge confirmed that Hope gloved that as there was a spike and the umpire changed the decision to OUT.
Captain Roston Chase came out to bat next. Smith continued as Chanderpaul pulled the ball down leg to deep backward square leg for a cracking boundary. Duffy continued and bowled a tight over. Smith bowled a maiden over. Matt Henry returned to the bowling crease and struck straightaway removing Chase for a duck.
Henry from over the wicket bowled good length on off-stump that seamed away a touch after angling in. Chase was forced to play at that and he looked to defend from the crease without moving his feet. He got an outside edge that was taken by Tom Latham behind the stumps. Justin Greaves came out to bat next. Henry had two in the over now as Greaves fell for a bronze duck.
Henry bowled a full ball shaping away from outside the off-stump. Greaves went feeling for it away from his body and got an outside edge that was taken by Latham who moved swiftly across to his right and took it. Tevin Imlach came out to bat next. Smith continued and bowled a maiden over. Henry continued and bowled a probing over. Smith followed with a maiden. Henry also kept it tight and bowled a maiden.
Zak Foulkes came back into the attack as Chanderpaul broke the shackles as he got top of the bounce and cut it to deep point for a boundary. Henry bowled another probing over troubling the batters. Foulkes continued and overstepped. He gave away four byes to the batting side as a bonus as the ball was sprayed down the leg side and away to the deep fine leg fence. West Indies were 120/5 in 54 overs with Tagenarine Chanderpaul batting on 45* off 153 balls while Tevin Imlach was batting on 3* off 22 balls.
For New Zealand’s point of view, they came back well in the second half after the Drinks Break with Duffy removing Hope for 56 while Matt Henry got two wickets in the over as he removed Roston Chase and Justin Greaves for ducks to leave West Indies reeling. The others kept things tight and gave nothing away if we are being honest.
What Lies Ahead In Evening Session.Â
West Indies were going along well at 100/2 and suddenly slipped to 106/5 as New Zealand roared back and edged ahead in the contest. West Indies still trail by 111 runs and all eyes will be on Tagenarine Chanderpaul as he will be the key after the Tea Break. The others have to play around him and support him in getting West Indies close to New Zealand.
Can West Indies get close to parity and eventually overhaul the New Zealand total? The evening session will give us an idea as to where this Test match is heading as it is still delicately poised at this stage.
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