New Zealand vs West Indies, 1st Test: Wagner, Williamson lead Kiwis to innings win

Wagner and Jamieson claimed the last three wickets in the space of 10 balls in their first match in the longest format of the game for nine months to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.

West Indies resumed the day at 196/6 with Balckwood and Alzarri Joseph at the crease, still needing 185 runs to make Kiwis bat again. Blackwood showed great control in his game, but Wagner dismissed him just in the next over after a special innings of 86 from Joseph came to an end.

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Shannon Gabriel lasted just four balls as West Indies folded out for 247 in their second innings. Wagner was the pick of the bowlers for the kiwis in the second innings as he finished with figures of 4 for 66.

Earlier on day three, Blackwood and Joseph had scored half-centuries to stage a fightback after New Zealand enforced the follow-on to maintain their dominance in the first Test.

After cleaning West Indies up for 138 in the first innings thanks to Tim Southee’s four-wicket haul, New Zealand bowlers again wreaked havoc in the second innings leaving West Indies tottering at 89/6 in the 22nd over.

New Zealand vs West Indies: Kiwis edge close to victory

It seemed like New Zealand would have wrapped up a big win on day three itself, but Blackwood and Alzarri fought back with an unbeaten 107-run stand for the seventh wicket to end third day’s play at 196/6.

On days one and two, it was skipper Kane Williamson, who was the star of the show as he scored a career best of 251 to take the hosts to a huge score of 519/7.

The result means, New Zealand are 60 points in the World Test Championship points table and are closing in on England in third, who are just over three per cent ahead of them.

West Indies will look to bounce back, while New Zealand will aim to seal series when the two sides meet in the second and final Test on Thursday (December 11) at Wellington.

(With Agency inputs)

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