KINGSTON – New Zealand have taken the upper hand at the close of play in the first cricket Test match against West Indies at Sabina Park.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, New Zealand reached 240 for two and are in firm control on a pitch that has offered very little to the bowlers.
The pair of Kane Williamson and Tom Latham put on a 165-run stand for the second wicket after Peter Fulton fell for one. He was caught behind by captain and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin off the bowling of Jerome Taylor.
Williamson is not out on 105, which included 11 fours.
Taylor was unfortunate not to also get Latham when he was on 39. Samuels took the catch after the ball was edged to gully, but on referral, the third umpire ruled it was a no ball. Latham went on to score 83 off 206 balls with ten fours, before going caught and bowl to spinner Shane Shillingford after tea.
Ross Taylor is unbeaten on 34 and the Caribbean fans will have to wait a bit longer before Chris Gayle goes out to bat in his 100th Test match.
New Zealand: P. Fulton, T. Latham, K. Williamson, R. Taylor, B. McCullum*, J. Neesham, B.J. Watling+, I. Sodhi, T. Southee, M. Craig, T. Boult. West Indies: C. Gayle, K. Powell, K. Edwards, Darren Bravo, S. Chanderpaul, M. Samuels, D. Ramdin*+, K. Roach, J. Taylor, S. Benn, S. Shillingford.
Summarised scores: New Zealand 240-2 (Kane Williamson 105 n.o., Tom Latham 83, R. Taylor 34 n.o.) vs West Indies.
