Trent Boult struck with the new ball to send back Shai Hope. Getty
New Zealand seized control of the first Test with a triple strike in the opening session of Day 4 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Windies, who began the day with two set batsmen in Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope, not just had the pair back in the shed, but had Roston Chase follow them as well, leaving New Zealand five wickets away from an innings victory. Trailing by 100 on Monday (December 4), Windies went into Lunch on 286 for 5 with 72 runs being scored in the session.
Kane Williamson had Mitchell Santner open the bowling alongside Matt Henry on the morning, and the offspinner did what he does best in tying the batsmen down while creating chances. Hope almost threw his wicket away leaving one that missed the offstump by a whisker - that, because it turned just a wee bit. But Santner struck in the following over, sending back the big fish Brathwaite for 91 - who seemed a tad guarded against the offspinner as the overs went on - after trapping him leg before wicket.
New Zealand got the Decision Review System (DRS) working for them after Brathwaite was adjudged not out by the on-field umpire on the insistence of Santner who knew it was pad first. Brathwaite misjudged the length of a slider; replays confirmed it was a legit review with three reds and the ball hitting middle stump as Brathwaite's grind from last evening went in vain.
The hosts then went for the kill, taking the new ball two overs later and handed it to Trent Boult. The ace pacemen bowled a couple of maidens while Matt Henry at the other end went for a few runs. But Boult put an end to Hope's stay after bowling the perfect length that had the batsman indecisive. He only ended up jabbing at it straight to Williamson at gully (for 37) who didn't err.
Deubtant Sunil Ambris, who was out hit wicket off his first ball in Test cricket in the first innings, took all but three balls in the second to hit his first six, top-edging Boult over the fine-leg fence. He faced a barrage of short ones from Boult, who had two men out for the hook shot, but survived unbeaten on 18. The same cannot be said about Chase who Matt Henry came back to dismiss Chase for 18, picking up his third wicket in the process.
Chase chopped on after being cramped for room with indecision costing him too. The wicket though, didn't stop Ambris from attacking as he picked up a couple of boundaries thereafter.
Brief scores: Windies 134 & 286/5 (Kraigg Brathwaite 91, Kieran Powell 40, Shimron Hetmyer 66, Shai Hope 37; Matt Henry 3-57) trail New Zealand 520/9 dec (Tom Latham 27, Jeet Raval 42, Ross Taylor 93, Henry Nicholls 67, Colin de Grandhomme 105, Tom Blundell 107; Kemar Roach 3-85, Miguel Cummins 2-92, Roston Chase 2-95) by 100 runs.
