HAMILTON, Dec 6: New Zealand registered a comprehensive win by an innings and 134 runs in the first Test against West Indies at the Seddon Park on Sunday. A win by an innings and 134 runs is the Blackcaps’ biggest win over West Indies.
On Day Four of the Test match, Jermaine Blackwood scored his second Test century and Alzarri Joseph, a breakthrough career-best score but their heroics couldn’t avoid the inevitable as pacers Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner ripped through West Indies’ lower order to wrap up the victory for the Black Caps.
Starting the day at 196/6, 185 runs behind New Zealand’s first innings score of 519/7, the visitors eventually fell for 247 in the second innings after being forced to follow-on as Jamieson and Wagner picked up the last three wickets in the space of 10 balls to hand New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Blackwood and Joseph, who had counter-attacked on the third evening on Saturday, continued bravely on Sunday morning and added a record partnership of 155 for the eighth wicket.
Blackwood scored 104 runs in his 141-ball knock with the 11 fours and two sixes. He was the eighth wicket to fall. Joseph contributed with 86 off 125 balls, which included three sixes and nine fours.
“We knew the West Indies coming here were going to be a really tough challenge and we were fortunate to get off to a really good start in this match and hold that position,” New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said.
“Coming into today we also knew it was going to be tough. This West Indies side bat very deep and they showed that as their middle and lower order applied themselves very, very well,” he added.
Joseph was creeping towards a maiden test when he lofted a full, wide delivery from Jamieson to substitute fielder Mitchell Santner on the off side.
Blackwood followed only five balls later, gloving a catch to Tim Southee behind square off Wagner.
The innings itself ended after only four more balls at 247-9 when Shannon Gabriel was bowled by Wagner. Wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich again was unable to bat because of a broken finger.
“We just weren’t good enough,” West Indies captain Jason Holder said.
“Our bowlers tried, they passed the bat quite a few times. “But credit to Kane. He played an outstanding innings and made us toil and work hard to get him out. “Our batting just wasn’t good in both innings but I just want to say credit to Jermaine Blackwood and Alzarri Joseph for bringing some respectability towards our batting.”
The Man-of-the-Match award went to Williamson, who made a career-best 251 in his innings that lasted 10 and a half hours and helped the hosts set a massive first innings score of 519-7 declared.
Holder was full of praise for the batting of Blackwood and Joseph, but also expressed great disappointment at the overall result.
He said the visitors need to do much better in the second Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, which starts on Friday.
“Our preparations has been good. We had two solid warm up games and although the surface was different, I think we need to show better application up top. We need answers and we need them quickly,” said the West Indies skipper. (IANS)
