Windies reeling as New Zealand take four quick wickets
A career-best 174 from Henry Nicholls, a rollicking 66 from Neil Wagner and four quick wickets put New Zealand responsible for the second Test against the West Indies in Wellington Saturday.
At tea on day two, in answer New Zealand's 460, the West Indies were 42 for four after 18 overs and Kyle Jamieson had the figures of two wickets for four runs.
New Zealand added 166 with their overnight 294 for six as Nicholls and Wagner made light work of picking off the West Indies bowlers.
However when the West Indies went into bat, the New Zealand quick quartet of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Jamieson showed there was still ample movement in the air and off the wicket.
Southee taken away Kraigg Brathwaite in his second above with a ball that swung away late and was edged to Ross Taylor initially slip.
As the brand new Zealand quicks mesmerised the batsmen it took four overs prior to the West Indies scored their first works.
John Campbell required treatment after a Southee delivery that nipped sharply backside and hit him in the groin, but while Campbell soldiered on Southee claimed his second wicket when he previously Darren Bravo captured and bowled for seven.
Jamieson arrived to the attack and took the wickets of Campbell (14) and Roston Chase with successive deliveries but was denied the hat-trick appeal when the ball swung into Jermaine Blackwood's pads and was first deemed to be heading down the leg side.
The West Indies bowlers were not able to engineer anywhere close to the same swing as the Black Caps four and their attempts at a short-ball strategy were also picked off.
After Jamieson contributed 20 off the bat and Southee 11, Wagner joined Nicholls in a whirlwind 95 run partnership off 75 deliveries for the ninth wicket.
Nicholls' marathon innings was eventually brought to a good halt when caught by a good diving Brathwaite off Roston Chase who ended the innings three balls later with the dismissal of Boult.
Wagner was first left not out 66, his highest Test score and first half century, along with his 42-ball stand including eight fours and four sixes.
