Tag: New Zealand

MOUNT MAUNGANUI: New Zealand crushed West Indies by 323 runs on Monday to win the third Test and seal a 2-0 series victory, with Jacob Duffy taking a crucial five-wicket haul.

The hosts set a target of 462 and bowled out the tourists for 138, wrapping up the innings four overs after tea following a dramatic collapse either side of lunch.

Duffy finished with 5-42 and was backed up by Ajaz Patel, who claimed 3-23, while opener Brandon King top-scored for West Indies with 67.

New Zealand’s Devon Conway scored 227 and 100 in two innings, while captain Tom Latham scored 137 and 101, the first opening pair in first-class cricket history to score twin centuries in the same match, to set up the win.

The series began with a draw in Christchurch, before New Zealand won the second Test in Wellington.

Seamer Duffy and spinner Patel posed constant danger to both edges of the bat on a cracked surface that offered uneven movement and bounce.

West Indies collapsed from 87-0 to 112-8 either side of lunch after starting the day on 43-0.

King dominated early, hitting a flurry of cuts and drives and scoring 53 of his team’s first 59 runs.

New Zealand captain Latham’s field placements had lacked aggression, but that changed after the drinks break when Duffy broke the opening stand, with King gloving a rising delivery to Glenn Phillips at gully.

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Patel struck in the next over, removing John Campbell for 16 after a rash attempt to slog down the ground. Phillips took another good catch in the deep.

Patel soon claimed another, with first-innings centurion Kavem Hodge falling for a duck.

Duffy then dismissed Alick Athanaze for two and Justin Greaves for nought in successive overs, leaving the West Indies reeling.

He struck again two overs later, with Alick Athanaze edging to keeper Tom Blundell for 2, before removing Justin Greaves for nought with an edge to Daryl Mitchell at slip.

Duffy then had Roston Chase caught off the gloves by Latham at slip for five, capping a miserable series for the West Indies captain.

Chase scored just 42 runs at an average of seven in three matches, the second-worst figures for a captain dismissed six or more times in a Test series.

Patel claimed Shai Hope’s wicket for three from 78 balls after a controversial lbw review. Hope did not offer a shot, but the ball was deemed to be hitting his foot on the full and going on to hit the stumps.

Phillips then took his first wicket of the match by bowling Kemar Roach, who was nursing a hamstring strain.

Rachin Ravindra was introduced in the final session and snared Anderson Phillip’s wicket with an lbw, before Duffy wrapped up the innings by bowling Jayden Seales.

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New Zealand batting great Kane Williamson has hinted that a decision about his future will be made on a series-by-series basis following a dominant batting display by the Black Caps against the West Indies here at the Bay Oval on Sunday in the third and final Test match of the series.

The 35-year-old Williamson is currently playing in a three-match series against West Indies and has been in decent touch.

Overall, he has amassed 9,461 Test runs to his name at a staggering average of 54.7 in 108 Test matches.

West Indies will require an uphill task on the final day of the tour, with 419 runs to win and 10 wickets in hand.

Meanwhile, it’s still unconfirmed whether ace batter Williamson will play Test cricket again, as he will be heading to South Africa for the SA T20 with his family upon the conclusion of the tour.

Speaking after the fourth day’s play, Williamson, who is inthe twilight of his career, revealed his thoughts on playing for New Zealand in the future.

“As you get to the latter stages (of your career), those thoughts certainly enter your mind,” he said.

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“It’s almost series by series,” Williamson said on playing for New Zealand nowadays.

Moving forward, the Black Caps will play their next Test match against Ireland in May 2026, which will be followed by a three-match series against England.

The 35-year-old termed the England and Australia tours challenging, noting that the challenges would be addressed as they come.

“We’ll just cross those bridges as they come.” “Going to England and Australia are really mouth-watering prospects and a great opportunities because they are tough tours,” Williamson explained.

He also turned down the upside of the game and stated that he never played for personal milestones.

“I’ve never used this team for my own personal gain,” he continued.

“I know cricket’s saturated in stats, but you’re wanting to go out and contribute to a team that you care about, so whatever runs you get aren’t really yours, they’re for the team,” Williamson concluded.

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MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Kavem Hodge scored his second Test century on Saturday as the West Indies reached 381-6 at the end of the third day of the third Test, 194 runs behind New Zealand and avoiding the follow-on.

The 32-year-old crawled to his century off 224 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and being dropped on 74 by Daryl Mitchell, who shelled a difficult chance at slip off Ajaz Patel.

He faced 33 balls to get through the 90s, including a long stoppage on 97 after he was hit by a painful blow in the box by a Michael Rae delivery.

Hodge shared in an 81-run partnership with Justin Greaves, which edged the visitors closer to the follow-on target of 375, and fifty stands with Tevin Imlach as well as Alick Athanaze.

Hodge was unbeaten on 109 at stumps with Anderson Phillip the other not out batsman on 12.

New Zealand received a spark from an unlikely source when Mitchell trapped Greaves lbw for 43, just his fourth Test wicket in his 35th match.

Batting suddenly looked a lot harder, as Roston Chase came and went, trapped lbw by Patel.

The West Indies said their leading batsman, Shai Hope, would not have batted on Saturday because of food poisoning, but Kemar Roach, who suffered a hamstring injury on day one, would bat if required.

Phillip came to the crease and should have been out for two when edging Patel to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, but New Zealand did not appeal. He was then dropped on eight from Patel’s bowling by Rae at mid-on.

Jacob Duffy had 2-79 from 31 overs, while Patel took 2-94 in 33 overs to end his unwanted record of being the bowler to take the most Test wickets without a single one at home.

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Patel’s 86th Test wicket was his first in New Zealand, bowling Athanaze in the middle session, some 2,562 days since his first Test in New Zealand and with his 394th ball on home soil.

England’s Billy Bates, who took 50 wickets between 1882 and 1887, all in Australia, has regained the dubious honour in the Test history books.

New Zealand made a breakthrough straight after lunch as Imlach fell for 27, caught behind by Blundell from the bowling of Rae.

Hodge and Athanaze combined for a 61-run partnership with the latter playing a series of nice drives and flicks as he looked to find form.

Having confidently moved to 45, a moment of indecision saw Athanaze gift Patel his wicket. He attempted to leave a ball well down the legside, only for it to deflect off his inner thigh and onto the stumps.

The West Indies resumed on Saturday at 110-0 and added only one run before Duffy struck in the second over as John Campbell edged to Tom Latham at second slip without adding to his overnight 45.

It ended the first West Indies century opening stand since February 2023.

Duffy doubled up when he bowled Brandon King, who had begun the day on 55, for 63.

New Zealand declared their first innings on Friday at a mammoth 575-8, anchored by Devon Conway’s epic 227 and captain Latham’s 137.

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The boss of New Zealand cricket, Scott Weenink, resigned on Friday after a prolonged and bitter dispute with players and member associations over the proposed new T20 league.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Scott Weenink, a businessman and former first-class cricketer for Wellington, stepped down after just over two years in the job.

A split had developed between Weenink and players, and member associations, over a proposed franchise T20 league that would replace the country’s domestic Super Smash.

Tentatively named NZ20, the new league would target foreign investment and ownership, likely through IPL franchises and aim to attract top overseas players.

It is seen by players and New Zealand’s six member associations as an important progression in the cricketing landscape.

Notably, New Zealand is the only ICC full member nation without a franchise T20 league.

Weenink was thought to prefer a New Zealand franchise entering the Australian Big Bash League (BBL) instead.

“After careful consideration, it has become clear that I hold a different view from several member associations… on the future priorities for NZC,” Weenink said in a statement.

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“Given these differences, I believe it is in the best interests of the organisation that new leadership takes NZC forward from here.”

New Zealand Test captain Tom Latham last week threw his support behind NZ20.

“I think you look at the NZ20 possibility, I think that’s a great initiative,” Latham said.

“What it will bring to the country, to cricket here in New Zealand, will be hugely beneficial, having international players to boost the standard of cricket.”

The new competition also has the backing of New Zealand white ball captain Mitchell Santner.

Scott Weenink said he was sad to leave after a successful period for NZC.

“I do not wish to create ongoing instability by continuing without the support of some key stakeholders,” Weenink said.

“I depart with pride in the excellent progress made by NZC during my time as CEO, and confidence in the people in NZC who will carry the game forward.”

Weenink will finish his tenure with NZC on January 30.

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MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Brandon King and John Campbell comfortably negotiated 23 overs in fading light before stumps to take the West Indies to 110-0 at the end of day two of the third Test after New Zealand declared on a mammoth 575-8.

The West Indies, with King unbeaten on 55 and Campbell not out 45, are still 465 runs behind.

New Zealand opener Devon Conway’s epic 227 and some late hitting from Rachin Ravindra, who had six fours and two sixes in his 72 not out, and Ajaz Patel (30 not out) allowed captain Tom Latham to give his bowlers more than an hour at the West Indies openers.

But King and Campbell were more than up to the task, seeing off the new ball and scoring freely on a flat Bay Oval wicket as New Zealand’s bowlers struggled to find a good length.

King’s 50 came from just 62 balls, hitting nine fours, and Campbell’s 45 was made from 60 deliveries and included seven fours.

Campbell was nursing a sore right hand that was struck in the nets prior to the match.

If the injury-depleted West Indies had any other options, he may have sat out the Test, such was the swelling and pain he was experiencing.

The visitors also have doubts over whether Kemar Roach, who is nursing a hamstring strain, will bat, while leading batter Shai Hope was ill and stayed at the team hotel on Friday.

Three West Indian bowlers took two wickets each, Justin Greaves the pick with 2-83 from 29 overs, while Jayden Seales had 2-100 and Anderson Phillip 2-154.

The battered West Indian bowling corps did show some fight after lunch, led by a sharp and accurate spell from Seales.

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He trapped Conway lbw to make it 432-4, and the West Indies removed two more batsmen as New Zealand went to tea at 508-6.

Glenn Phillips lost his battle with Phillip after tea, edging to first slip, and Zak Foulkes was bowled by a peach of a ball, clipping the top of off stump.

Recalled spinner Patel lofted two sixes in the final over before the declaration in his 30 from 30 balls.

New Zealand had resumed after lunch at 424-3 at lunch, looking to punish an under-strength West Indian attack missing Roach.

The tourists did not help themselves in the field. Kavem Hodge dropped Conway when he was on 206, and Daryl Mitchell was shelled by Greaves at second slip when he was on nine.

Seales was first to strike in the afternoon, darting one past the inside edge of Conway and into the pads, a ball that would have clattered into middle and leg stumps.

Conway’s three runs after lunch saw him go past the top score of his batting idol, Neil McKenzie, who made 226 for South Africa against Bangladesh in 2008.

Mitchell fell for 11, getting a thick edge down the legside from Roston Chase, taken by wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach, who also accounted for Tom Blundell off Seales.

Earlier, Conway resumed on 178 and brought up his second Test double-century, his first since his debut in 2021 against England at Lord’s, when he cut a Seales short ball to the point boundary. His 200 came off 316 balls, with 28 fours.

Greaves then struck to remove Williamson just before lunch for 31, caught by Imlach.

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MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Devon Conway and Tom Latham plundered a poor West Indies attack for a mammoth opening partnership on day one of the third Test here on Thursday as New Zealand piled up 334-1.

Conway ended the day 178 not out, and captain Latham was out just before the close for 137. Nightwatchman Jacob Duffy was on nine at Stumps.

Conway and Latham put together 323, the second-highest opening partnership for New Zealand, only bettered by Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis’s 387 stand against the West Indies in Georgetown in 1972.

It was also only the eighth time New Zealand had registered a stand in excess of 300 in Tests.

Conway batted all day, facing 279 balls for his second century of the calendar year, but his first at home since January 2022 against Bangladesh in Christchurch. He scored 153 against Zimbabwe in August.

The 34-year-old Conway brought up his sixth Test century from 147 balls, and stroked 25 fours during his 279-ball stay.

Latham’s 15th Test century contained 15 fours and a six as he faced 264 balls.

Conway and captain Latham had a near chanceless partnership. For the first two sessions, the West Indies toiled without so much as a single lbw shout.

Early in the third session, they finally created a chance, but Latham was dropped by wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach off the bowling of Anderson Phillip when on 104 and New Zealand on 253.

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The marathon partnership justified Latham’s decision to bat first on a green-looking wicket that is tipped to suit spin later in the match.

The West Indies seamers found good movement off the grassy surface in the opening overs, bowling tight lines which had both Conway and Latham defending cautiously, but they became more aggressive once the new ball was seen off.

West Indies skipper Roston Chase said he would have bowled had he won the toss.

At a suggestion, spin would play a part later in the match, said he would “have to see it to believe it”. But after just 22 overs, Chase was on to bowl his offspin and ended up bowling 19 overs throughout the day.

Kemar Roach was the best of the bowlers, taking the lone wicket for figures of 1-63 from 17 overs.

New Zealand included spinner Ajaz Patel in their side for his first home Test in five years. Tom Blundell returned to keep wicket after missing the previous Test with injury.

The West Indies made one change, with the injured fast bowler Ojay Shields replaced by batsman Alick Athanaze.

New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0, after a draw in the first Test in Christchurch, and a nine-wicket win in Wellington.

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WELLINGTON: Jacob Duffy took 5-38 as New Zealand cruised to a nine-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second Test in Wellington on Friday for a 1-0 series lead.

Seamer Duffy bagged his second five-wicket haul in only his third Test to help roll the West Indies for 128 after lunch on day three, the hosts needing just 56 for victory.

Devon Conway (28) and Kane Williamson (16) guided New Zealand to an emphatic win just before tea at the Basin Reserve.

Debutant Michael Rae took 3-45 for the home side while Kavem Hodge was the pick of the West Indian batters in their second innings, scoring 35.

New Zealand lead the three-Test series 1-0, after the first match in Christchurch ended in a draw.

New Zealand skipper Tom Latham was delighted with how his inexperienced bowling unit took the fight to the visitors.

Like Duffy, Zak Foulkes was playing just his third Test match, Blair Tickner his fourth and Rae was on debut.

It was a limp batting effort from the West Indies, who resumed day three at 32-2, trailing by 41 runs having lost John Campbell and nightwatchman Anderson Phillip late on day two.

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By lunch, they were on the ropes at 98-6 and needing a significant fightback, like they did in the first Test, to have any chance.

It took just 9.2 overs for New Zealand to clean up the tail, the collapse starting when Justin Greaves fell for 25 to an lbw off Duffy that was reviewed by New Zealand and would have clipped the top of the leg stump.

On day one, the tourists were dismissed for 205, before New Zealand made 278-9 declared in reply.

Brandon King and Hodge started brightly on Friday, negating a pitch that was offering variable bounce to the New Zealand bowlers.

King was the first to depart, for 22, after a dreadful mix-up running between the wickets, run out by Michael Bracewell.

That sparked a mini-collapse as first Shai Hope and then Chase were removed by Rae and Duffy, respectively.

Hodge patiently moved to 35 as wickets fell at the other end, but he departed after Will Young took a stunning diving catch from a pull shot at midwicket.

The third and final Test is in Mount Maunganui starting on Thursday.

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WELLINGTON: Mitchell Hay scored an aggressive half-century on his Test debut to help New Zealand to a 41-run lead over the West Indies at the close of play on day two of the second Test in Wellington on Thursday.

The Black Caps were 278 all out with about an hour to play in the final session, after the West Indies scored 205 at the Basin Reserve.

At stumps, the visitors were 32-2 in their second innings, with Brandon King (15) and Kavem Hodge (3) at the crease.

Michael Rae and Jacob Duffy took a wicket each as New Zealand got through 10 overs in fading light.

Hay scored 61 from 93 deliveries, playing with poise in his first taste of Test cricket. He hit nine fours and a six.

Anderson Phillip was the pick of the visiting bowlers, taking 3-70 in 13 overs. Meanwhile, Kemar Roach had figures of 2-43.

The 25-year-old Hay came to the crease at 117-4 after Rachin Ravindra, for five, and Devon Conway, who made 60, fell in back-to-back overs immediately after lunch.

He quickly found his feet at Test level, at ease with the pace and movement of the Basin Reserve wicket.

Hay and Daryl Mitchell combined for a 73-run partnership for the fifth wicket, with Hay the aggressor, leaving Mitchell in the unusual position of playing anchor. Mitchell fell just before tea for 25.

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Hay eventually hooked a ball to Roach in the deep, ending his fine knock. Following Hay’s dismissal, Zak Foulkes added 23 unbeaten runs but ran out of partners.

Earlier, Conway batted well for his 60 from 108 balls before feathering down the leg side to wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach soon after lunch.

Conway and Kane Williamson, who was out near the end of the morning session for 37, steadied the New Zealand innings after captain Tom Latham was bowled by Roach for 11.

After the hosts resumed on their overnight 24-0, Williamson came to the crease at 36-1, and New Zealand’s record run-scorer punished some erratic bowling as he hit seven fours in his 46-ball stay.

Conway was given a life when dropped by Shai Hope at leg slip on 28.

He took advantage and had put on 67 for the second wicket when Phillip bowled Williamson with an unplayable swinging delivery that took the top of the off-stump.

Seam bowler Blair Tickner dislocated his shoulder on day one and will not bowl or field for the rest of the match, the hosts said.

Tickner, who took 4-32 in a career-best effort on Tuesday, was taken to the hospital after being injured while fielding and will only bat if necessary.

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CHRISTCHURCH: Justin Greaves scored an epic unbeaten double century to earn the West Indies a valiant draw in the first Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval on Saturday.

Greaves was not out on 202, and Shai Hope made 140 as the visitors, chasing a target of 531, were 457-6 at close, the second-highest Test fourth innings.

Greaves battled for almost 10 hours and faced 388 deliveries, bringing up his maiden double century in the penultimate over.

Kemar Roach was unbeaten on his Test best of 58, which included facing 72 dot balls when he was on 53.

The pair put on a gutsy 180 for the seventh wicket.

A draw seemed a distant prospect for the tourists when the top order failed to fire yet again, and they slumped to 72-4.

But New Zealand were down on firepower as injuries to Matt Henry and Nathan Smith reduced their pace attack in the second innings to just Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes.

Both were playing only their second Test.

The placid pitch was also of little assistance to the spinners, allowing Shai Hope and Greaves to cash in for the fifth wicket, amassing 196 runs in a 64-over stand.

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The West Indies resumed the final day at 212-4 with a confident Hope and Greaves adding 23 in six overs of spin before blunting the new-ball attack for more than 12 overs, before Hope was dismissed for 140.

A short ball from Duffy outside the leg stump tempted Hope to hook, but the ball climbed, grazed the glove, and a diving Tom Latham took a stunning one-handed catch to complete the dismissal.

Tevin Imlach came and went quickly, lbw to Foulkes for four, and New Zealand felt the initiative had swung their way again with the West Indies 277-6.

But when Roach joined Greaves, the pendulum swung back the other way as West Indies reached 399-6 at tea, needing a further 132 with four wickets remaining if they were to achieve a historic victory in the final session.

Luck was with Roach, who received five lives. He was dropped on 30 and 47 and survived a run-out when the throw went wide of the stumps.

He was given not out to an lbw appeal and again for a caught behind, both off Michael Bracewell, when television replays showed he was out both times.

Duffy was New Zealand’s most successful bowler with 3-122 to go with his five wickets in the first Test.

The second Test starts in Wellington on Wednesday.

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A sparkling century by Shai Hope, ably supported by Justin Greaves, had the West Indies 212-4 at stumps on Friday and clinging to the remote chance they can save the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.

Hope was 116 not out and Greaves 55, with the pair putting on 140 for the fifth wicket after the West Indies were in dire straits at 72-4.

New Zealand need six more wickets with the new ball six overs away while the West Indies, set a mammoth 531-run target, need a further 319 runs.

The tourists’ cause was helped by injuries to New Zealand’s pace ranks, which have forced captain Tom Latham to be creative with how he manages his bowlers.

A side strain sidelined seamer Nathan Smith for the remainder of the Test, and lead bowler Matt Henry was restricted to 11 overs because of a hamstring issue.

That brought off-spinner Michael Bracewell and part-timer Rachin Ravindra into the attack earlier and longer than expected.

New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram said the result could depend on how they use their two fit pace bowlers — Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes — with the new ball.

But New Zealand’s injuries take nothing away from the stubborn performance of Hope, who is enjoying a purple patch despite battling an eye infection, with 56 in the first innings and coming to New Zealand off a century against India.

Hope played briskly with 15 fours and one six and the delight was evident when he raised his bat after driving Ravindra to the covers for a single to bring up his century.

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Greaves played his support role admirably, offering two faint edges, but both fell well short of the slip cordon.

After the West Indies went to lunch at 11-0, New Zealand dominated the second session with four wickets.

Duffy removed John Campbell for 15 in the second over after lunch with a seaming delivery that clipped the edge of the bat, and Bracewell held the catch diving in front of first slip.

At the start of his next over, Duffy had Tagenarine Chanderpaul caught behind for six.

Right-arm spinner Bracewell picked up an easy wicket when he accounted for Alick Athanaze (five).

A gentle long-hop, which should have been dispatched to the boundary, went instead to Foulkes at mid-on.

Henry made a brief return to the attack to remove captain Roston Chase for four.

New Zealand resumed the day at 417-4 and added 49 runs in an hour before Kemar Roach ended the innings, taking a return catch from Duffy (10).

Roach also took the wickets of Bracewell and Henry to finish with 5-78.

The New Zealand innings closed with 466-8 with the injured Tom Blundell (hamstring) and Smith unable to bat and in doubt for the second Test, which starts in Wellington next Wednesday.

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