WELLINGTON – West Indies crumbled to an innings and 73-run defeat after Trent Boult undermined their batting twice in a single day with destructive left-arm swing bowling, handing New Zealand their first Test victory for the year in the second cricket Test here yesterday.
Resuming from their overnight total of 158 for four, replying to the New Zealanders’ first innings total of 441, the Windies were bowled out for 193 about an hour after the rescheduled start on the third day at the Basin Reserve – and were forced to follow on for the second straight Test.
After a solid start from openers Kirk Edwards and Kieran Powell, the visitors were again dismissed in dramatic fashion for 175 in their second innings about an hour before the scheduled close.
In both instances, Boult was the chief destroyer, finishing with impressive match figures of ten for 80.
The West Indies batsmen had no proper response to the New Zealand bowlers, as Boult, in particular, using favourable overhead and ground conditions effectively, gained appreciable movement through the air and off the pitch to grab six for 40 from 15 overs in the first innings andfour for 40 from 12.5 overs in the second innings.
To add insult to injury, Denesh Ramdin was spectacularly caught right-handed by a diving Boult at backward point for 19 off
Neil Wagner, as the Windies crumbled in the second innings, leaving the adjudicators no choice but to identify the ambidextrous New Zealander as the Man Of The Match.
The defeat meant that West Indies now trail 0-1 in the three-match series, following a draw in the first Test.
They have a chance for redemption when the final Test opens on Thursday at Seddon Park in the riverside city of Hamilton.
The result also meant the West Indies have lost three of their last four Tests inside three days, following similar setbacks in the preceding two-Test, farewell series for retired Indian batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar in India. It was also their third straight defeat at this venue.
When the tourists resumed, there was nothing to suggest what was about to unfold, but Boult changed the complexion of the match when he had left-hander Narsingh Deonarine caught behind for 22.
Marlon Samuels, whose 60 included 11 fours from 81 balls in just over two hours, had batted untroubled until he was also caught behind off Boult from an inside edge, leaving the Windies 182 for six.
The next four wickets all perished for ducks – skipper Darren Sammy, key off-spinner Shane Shillingford and fast bowler Tino Best to Boult, Shannon Gabriel to Tim Southee to complete the demolition, as West Indies lost their last six wickets for 18 runs.
Kirk Edwards and Kieran Powell then carried the Windies to 45 without loss in their second innings at lunch and shared 74 for the first wicket after the interval.
Powell was bowled off the inside edge for the top score of 36, becoming the first of three wickets for 24 runs from 11 overs for Southee, before left-arm fast-medium bowler Neil Wagner had Darren Bravo caught behind for a second-ball duck, leaving West Indies 75 for two.
Edwards was soon caught at gully off Southee for 35 and Samuels was caught at third slip off the same bowler for 12, sinking West Indies to 94 for four.
They reached 135 for five after Narsingh Deonarine was bowled for 12 when he dragged a delivery from Boult into his stumps.
After the break, there was token resistance from the remainder of the batting.
Only Tino Best with a typical tail-ender’s flourish reached 20 before Boult brought the curtain down when he bowled Gabriel for a second-ball duck, leaving Shivnarine Chanderpaul high and dry on 31 not out.
(WICB?MEDIA)
