Tag: New Zealand

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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CHRISTCHURCH: Big centuries by Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra put New Zealand firmly in control of the first Test against the West Indies with a lead of 481 at stumps on day three in Christchurch on Thursday.

The pair put on 279 for the third wicket before Latham was out for 145. Ravindra followed soon after for 176.

At stumps, Will Young was 21, Michael Bracewell was on six, and New Zealand were 417-4 to go with their 64-run first innings lead.

The West Indies would need to break their own record fourth innings chase to overhaul New Zealand, having reached 418-7 to beat Australia in 2003.

After two days of overcast skies favouring swing and seam bowling, the pitch flattened out under bright sunshine as day three progressed.

The West Indies attack was not so threatening, and they also suffered from a lack of discipline, conceding runs to fielding lapses and giving away 23 extras, including 11 wides.

Latham and Ravindra presented contrasting styles as they set a New Zealand-best third wicket partnership against the West Indies, and Latham passed 6,000 Test runs.

New Zealand captain Latham laid the foundations of the innings in a clinical 84-run opening stand with Devon Conway, who made 37.

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After a brief partnership with Kane Williamson, who fell for nine, Latham was on 40 when he was joined by Ravindra in an aggressive move.

While Latham was methodical and largely chanceless, Ravindra took to the bowling in one-day mode and made the West Indies suffer for dropping him on eight and 13.

His 176 came off 185 deliveries, with one six and 27 fours, including one from the first ball he faced.

He also smacked fours to pass the 50, 100 and 150 milestones.

Latham faced 250 deliveries for his 145 and hit 12 fours.

For the West Indies, Kemar Roach had both Latham and Williamson caught behind to return figures of 2-61.

He accounted for Latham with a shorter length delivery that found an inside edge on its way to Tevin Imlach.

Ojay Shields took 2-64, bowling Ravindra with a yorker and having Conway caught at square leg.

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CHRISTCHURCH: A five-wicket haul by Jacob Duffy gave New Zealand a 64-run first-innings lead over the West Indies after the tourists were all out for 167 in the first Test on Wednesday.

At stumps on day two in Christchurch, New Zealand, were 32-0 in their second innings to be 96 ahead. Devon Conway was 15 not out with Tom Latham on 14.

Once the forgotten man of New Zealand domestic cricket, Duffy found himself the enforcer in only his second Test.

In 16 deliveries following a rain break in the final session, Duffy removed the last four West Indian batters while conceding only two runs off his bowling.

The fast bowler had earlier dismissed the West Indies top scorer, Shai Hope, for 56 to finish with career-best figures of 5-34 off 17.4 overs.

Half-centuries from Hope and Tagenarine Chanderpaul provided the backbone of the West Indies innings in a 90-run stand for the third wicket.

Hope, wearing sunglasses under heavily overcast skies because of an eye infection, went to the crease with the West Indies in early trouble at 10-2.

Despite being affected by conjunctivitis and needing breaks to be treated with eye drops, he produced a near-chanceless sixth Test half-century.

But on 56, he allowed a short ball from Duffy to brush his gloves on its way to wicketkeeper Latham and was gone.

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Matt Henry struck twice with a double-wicket maiden, having Roston Chase and Justin Greaves caught behind by Latham as the West Indies slumped from 100-2 to 106-5.

Chanderpaul battled his way to 52 from 169 deliveries before he was undone by Zak Foulkes as the floodlights came on under murky skies after the tea break.

The West Indies opener had been dropped twice, on five and 24, by Conway at leg slip.

But Conway, leaping to his left, pouched the third chance sent his way at midwicket.

After a 30-minute rain interruption, Duffy removed Tevin Imlach (14), Johann Layne (0), Jayden Seales (2) and Ojay Shields (0).

The West Indies took just three balls to end the New Zealand first innings at the start of the day, without an addition to the overnight score of 231.

Foulkes, the last man out, was then immediately in the action with the ball, removing John Campbell for one with his first delivery.

Will Young completed the dismissal with a smart one-handed catch to his left at third slip, but then dropped a regulation chance when Alick Athanaze, on four, edged Henry.

However, the scoreboard had not moved before Henry bowled Athanaze in his following over with a ball that nipped back sharply.

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CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand reached 231-9 at stumps on a rain-shortened day one of the first Test against the West Indies on Tuesday after Justin Greaves triggered a middle-order collapse with the wicket of Kane Williamson.

New Zealand tumbled from 94-1 to 148-6 on a bowler-friendly wicket after Williamson was dismissed for 52, his 38th Test half-century.

Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith arrested the slide with a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Smith eventually fell for 23 and Bracewell for 47.

After Matt Henry went for eight, Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy were both on four when bad light stopped play after 70 overs of a truncated day.

Bracewell and Smith’s partnership was the second face-saving stand for New Zealand after Williamson and Tom Latham put on 93 following the dismissal of Devon Conway on the third ball of the Test.

The green wicket and heavy cloud cover ensured West Indies skipper Roston Chase gave his pace attack first use of the new ball when he won the toss, and it revived memories of Calypso quicks from a previous era.

But after the immediate success of Kemar Roach, who removed Conway, the West Indies were made to wait 29 overs before again tasting success.

In the first session, extended by a 90-minute rain break, Williamson and Latham cautiously inched New Zealand to 17-1 in the 10.3 overs available before a second shower brought lunch.

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When play resumed, the New Zealand pair batted with more freedom until Williamson celebrated his first Test innings in a year by passing the half-century mark.

On 52, a lapse in his normal diligence saw a full delivery from Greaves edged to Alick Athanaze at second slip to ignite the collapse.

In his next over, Greaves removed Latham for a patient 24 off 85 deliveries, and Rachin Ravindra was then bowled for three by Jayden Seales.

In the space of 21 deliveries, the West Indies took three wickets for nine runs as New Zealand slumped from 94-1 to 103-4.

Will Young and Tom Blundell added 17 for the fifth wicket before Young, on 14, gave Johann Layne his maiden Test wicket.

Blundell progressed to 29 before he went early in the final session as debutant Ojay Shields claimed his first Test wicket.

Shields, who earlier believed he had the prized wicket of Williamson for 33, only for a no ball to be declared, also removed Bracewell to finish with 2-34. Greaves took 2-35, and Roach has 2-47.

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New Zealand batting talisman Kane Williamson returns to the Test arena for the first time in a year to bolster the hosts’ line-up in the first Test against the West Indies in Christchurch, which begins Tuesday.

The 35-year-old sat out New Zealand’s only other Tests this year — a 2-0 series win in Zimbabwe in August — but has a formidable Test record against the West Indies.

From seven home innings, he averages 72.57, while over 10 innings in the West Indies, the figure is an impressive 51.33.

One of the greatest batsmen of his generation, Williamson has a career average of 54.88 from 105 Tests, with 33 centuries.

He scored 156 against England in his last Test innings at Hamilton in December last year.

West Indies captain Roston Chase said Monday there was only one way to quell Ken Williamson.

“Patience. I would say the most important thing is patience,” Chase said as his West Indies team went through their final practice.

The West Indies face a monumental task. They have not won a Test in New Zealand since 1995 and lost both the Twenty20 and ODI series last month.

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“We want that win,” said Chase, who believes his side can end that 30-year win drought. “We don’t want to be on the bad side of history all the time.

“I mean, we fought well in the two white-ball series, and I just think if we can learn a bit faster and adapt a bit faster, especially with problem solving, we can get over the line with the red ball for sure.”

While the Test opens New Zealand’s campaign in the new edition of the World Test Championship, the West Indies have already played five in recent months without success, losing 3-0 to Australia and 2-0 to India.

The recent lack of five-day cricket for New Zealand, whose previous outing before Zimbabwe was that home series against England a year ago, did not faze captain Tom Latham.

“For us it’s about trying to hit the ground running and try to get into the mode of Test cricket as quick as we can,” he said.

“And if we do that, hopefully that gives us a good chance at the back end of the match.”

Christchurch’s Hagley Oval presented a green wicket on the eve of the Test on Monday.

It led Latham to predict that “it will be no different” from previous Tests at the venue where the team that wins the toss elects to bowl first.

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New Zealand is preparing to enter the franchise-based T20 league market with plans to launch the NZ20 tournament in January 2027, ESPNcricinfo reported.

The proposed league is expected to feature six privately owned teams and will operate independently of New Zealand Cricket (NZC), following a model similar to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

According to the report, the league has yet to secure NZC approval, but if cleared, NZ20 will replace the current Super Smash competition, which has been run by local cricket associations for more than two decades.

The existing six-team tournament, featuring Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury, and Otago, has increasingly served as a developmental platform, while NZ20 aims to deliver a more fan-centric and commercially-driven competition.

Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, told ESPNcricinfo that the concept was born out of discussions with former New Zealand players, including Stephen Fleming, and consultations with the New Zealand Players Association.

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“We are looking at a short, high-quality tournament in the peak of summer, ideally at our holiday venues and iconic grounds. The focus is on entertaining fans, featuring the best New Zealand players, and ideally some internationals,” MacKinnon said.

The report adds that private investment will allow NZ20 to innovate in ways not possible in the Super Smash, including enhanced fan experiences both at stadiums and online.

Interest from investors is reportedly strong, including from India and other international markets, although no confirmation has been made regarding IPL franchise involvement.

The planned schedule calls for a men’s tournament in January 2027, followed by a women’s league in December 2027.

Scheduling will need to account for overlaps with other global T20 leagues, including the Big Bash League, SA20, and ILT20.

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