WELLINGTON, Dec 11: When New Zealand and the West Indies arrived at the Basin Reserve Friday for the first day of the second cricket test they knew that, one way or another, it was going to be a tough day.
By stumps an unbeaten century by Henry Nicholls, the 100th to be scored on the Basin Reserve, had tipped the match in New Zealand favor. New Zealand was 294-6 and Nicholls was 117.
But it had been hard going and no-one had done it harder than Nicholls, who scratched for runs at times, living on luck and eventually reaching his sixth test hundred with a miscued shot behind point.
Conditions had set the scene for a testing day. The pitch had nestled under cover for several days before the match as steady rain fell in the New Zealand capital.
When the covers were drawn back, the pitch was a vivid green but hard underneath its covering of grass. It was clear whoever lost the toss would bat and batting wouldn’t be easy.
West Indies captain Jason Holder won the toss, chose to bowl and his attack led by Shannon Gabriel had New Zealand three down by lunch.
Conditions improved for both teams but mostly for New Zealand as the day wore on.
Nicholls, who lived precariously, gave at least three catching chances on his way to his first half century in 14 test innings. Gabriel saw Nicholls dropped by Darren Bravo at first slip when he was 47 and again from Chemar Holder at the same score.
His frustration at the West Indies’ failures in the field was allayed a little by his captain, Holder, who stretched out a long arm to take the catch at second slip which dismissed Will Young for 43 in the second session, giving Gabriel his 150th test wicket.
Gabriel had dismissed Tom Blundell and Ross Taylor in the first session when the West Indies were ascendant. He bowled Blundell in the seventh over
Chemar Holder had his first wicket when he dismissed New Zealand captain Tom Latham in partnership with wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva, who was also making his test debut.
Latham led New Zealand in the absence of Kane Williamson, whose wife is expecting their first child. His absence leaves a substantial hole in the New Zealand batting lineup which Nicholls tried to fill. Williamson’s career-best 251 in the first Test played a major part in the Kiwi’s win by an innings and 134 runs.
Nicholl shared partnerships of 70 with Young, 55 with B.J. Watling and 83 with Darly Mitchell to play his team into a strong position at the end of the day. (AP)
