West Indies tumble in five-wicket New Zealand swing session

News Network
December 5, 2020

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New Zealand, Dec 5: The West Indies crumbled in the face of a Tim Southee-led masterclass of swing, losing five wickets in the first session on day three of the first Test against New Zealand in Hamilton on Saturday.

The visitors resumed the day at 49 without loss in reply to New Zealand's imposing 519 for seven, and by lunch they had been reduced to 114 for five.

Jermaine Blackwood and Jason Holder were attempting to rebuild the innings with Blackwood on 18 and Holder on 14.

In a dramatic two-hour period, Southee inspired the New Zealand pace pack with prodigious swing in the overcast conditions.

The morning started positively for the West Indies when John Campbell clipped the first ball from Southee to the fine leg boundary.

He advanced to 26 and gave the West Indies their first 50 opening stand in 13 innings since February last year.

But that one scoring shot was Campbell's lot. Four balls later, he scooped a full-length delivery to Kane Williamson at mid-off and his innings was over.

In Southee's following over, he produced a ball that swung late, caught the edge of Shamarh Brooks' bat and Ross Taylor completed the dismissal at first slip.

West Indies dangerman Kraigg Brathwaite added one to his overnight 20 before he was caught behind.

Brathwaite came into the Test on the back of a double century in the West Indies warm-up game against New Zealand A but he could not handle a Trent Boult delivery that pitched on the leg stump and jagged across the batsman.

Darren Bravo had an early life when rapped on the pads by Southee but on review it showed the ball would have missed the leg stump by a wafer.

But when New Zealand brought on the 2.03 metre (6ft 8in) Kyle Jamieson, he rattled Bravo with a rising ball that smacked him on the gloves and then bowled him two balls later with a full-length inswinger.

Roston Chase followed immediately for 11, bowled by another good-length inswinger from Neil Wagner, who put away his notorious short-ball to make the most of the conditions.

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