HAMILTON, Dec 3: Captains Kane Williamson and Jason Holder both wanted to win the toss and bowl Thursday on a luminous green pitch at Seddon Park on the first day of the first cricket test between New Zealand and the West Indies.
Holder called correctly, eagerly sent in the hosts and Williamson finished the day 97 not out with Ross Taylor 31 not out and the home team 243-2.
It may have been small consolation to Holder that both astute and experienced captains thoroughly misread the pitch. He would have been less pleased that his bowlers mostly misused it and found themselves with their backs to the wall at stumps.
After the early loss of Will Young for 5 on test debut, Williamson and Tom Latham dug in and added 154 for New Zealand’s second wicket to subdue any of the danger the pitch seemed likely to present.
Latham was eventually bowled by Kemar Roach for 86 when the Kiwis were 168-2. Williamson was typically patient and technically adept, though the ball occasionally beat his outside edge. He mostly played the ball late and under his eyes, using soft hands to mute any unexpected bounce.
Shannon Gabriel, who captured Young’s wicket in the fourth over, finished with 1-62, Roach with 1-53 and Holder put in a long shift, bowling 19 overs in warm conditions and finishing with 0-25.
Scoring wasn’t always easy but Latham and Williamson’s innate patience was rewarded. Latham took 126 balls to reach his 19th half century in tests, then became more fluent and moved quickly ahead of Williamson. He seemed comfortable before he was bowled by Roach, who was helped by an inside edge. Williamson was becalmed for 24 deliveries on 49. He went on to a half century from 134 balls and seemed poised at stumps to add to his record number of test centuries for New Zealand. (AP)
