Conway and Hay score 50s to give New Zealand early advantage as the hosts secured a 73-run first-innings lead.
Fifties from Conway and Hay extend New Zealand’s advantage.
After a thrilling second day of the Wellington Test, half-centuries from New Zealand’s Devon Conway and Mitchell Hay increased the hosts’ lead despite a strong bowling performance by the West Indies seamers. Before a double-wicket burst from their quicks left West Indies still 41 behind with eight wickets remaining, New Zealand had taken a 73-run advantage in the first innings.
A number of home batsmen contributed to their own dismissals with careless shots, and the West Indies showed bursts of excellence with the ball to keep holding New Zealand back. However, the visitors also provided Conway and Hay with enough scoring opportunities to gain significant ground.
One end was anchored by Conway’s 60, his first fifty against the West Indies and 13th overall, while Hay, a rookie, scored an ambitious 61 from No. 6. With the injured Blair Tickner not batting, their efforts enabled New Zealand to declare at 278 for 9.
Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Ojay Shields, and Anderson Phillip constantly tested the batters with the relatively new ball as it swung both ways and occasionally jagged off the surface. Conway, however, kept New Zealand moving by punishing the careless deliveries with eight fours, primarily cuts and flicks.
From the non-striker’s end, he witnessed Kane Williamson (37) have his off stump stabbed back by an Anderson Phillip delivery that squared him up after Tom Latham (11) lost his off stump to a nip-backer from Roach from around the wicket. Rachin Ravindra, who scored 176 in Christchurch, was caught behind off Roach while pursuing a wide one after lunch. Tevin Imlach’s excellent diving take then caught Conway himself on the leg side of a weak ball from Justin Greaves. At 117 for 4, New Zealand appeared to be faltering at that point.
New Zealand got closer to the West Indies’ first-innings score of 205 thanks to a fifth-wicket partnership of 73 between Daryl Mitchell (25) and Hay, who was filling in for the injured Tom Blundell. While Hay relied on his white-ball instincts to score runs, Mitchell was cautious. Hay produced powerful cuts through the off side and pulled confidently over the leg side when tested with short balls.
Like Conway, Mitchell was ultimately strangled by Phillip’s leg side. Later, Hay succumbed to the short-ball strategy. After hitting consecutive fours behind square leg, he misplayed a pull off Shields straight to Roach at deep-backward square, leaving him feeling deeply let down. New Zealand then relied on Glenn Phillips (18) and the lower order to maintain their lead at 213 for 6.
Despite their inconsistent batting, New Zealand’s bowlers regained control late in the day with a potent ten-over burst. A Rae delivery that zoomed in to hit off stump caused John Campbell to fall in the seventh over. Nightwatcher Phillip survived a DRS review for being caught behind off Duffy in the next over, but a second glance revealed he was actually lbw. Even though Kavem Hodge (3) and Brandon King (15) survived the last few minutes, the West Indies will still have a difficult task when play resumes on Friday.