Shai Hope top scored with 48 but West Indies batting lost their way, slipping to 205 all out in 75 overs on the first day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand on Wednesday (Tuesday night Barbados Time).
Hope, fresh from a century in the first Test last week, faced 80 balls and struck eight boundaries on a firm pitch at the historic Basin Reserve in Wellington.
He was subjected to a barrage of short bowling by the New Zealand seamers and eventually gloved a sharp lifting delivery to slip.
At lunch, the West Indies were 92-2 and at tea 175-4, still on top, but as the pitch hardened, Blair Tickner and Michael Rae came into their own. The ball came off the pitch quicker and began to deviate a little off the seam. Three wickets fell quickly at the start of the last session and the West Indies slipped before they completely fell apart.
From their teatime position, skipper Roston Chase was bowled by an inside edge off Tickner for 29, while Rae accounted for the wickets of last game heroes Justin Greaves (13) and Kemar Roach (0), to see the visitors slide to 184-7.
Tevin Imlach was then bowled by spinner Glenn Phillips for 16, with the end coming soon after in a dramatic collapse that saw the Windies lose their last seven wickets for just 52 runs.
Hope spoke to members of the media after the day’s play and expressed some disappointment with the team’s position after a platform at the top of the innings.
“We kind of let ourselves down, especially in the back end with the kind of foundation that we had. The opener laid a very good foundation for us, but we let ourselves down by putting too much pressure in the lower order this time around. Credit must be given to the New Zealand bowlers for bowling in good areas, while we have to look at our areas where we could put on a better first innings score,” Hope said.
New Zealand fast bowler Tickner had to be helped from the field with a shoulder injury after taking 4-32, bowling well in tandem with Rae who took 3-65 on debut
He fell heavily while fielding a ball at fine leg in his first Test in more than two years and only the fourth of his career. He lay motionless while being assisted by medical staff before being carefully lifted from the field on a stretcher.
His injury adds to a growing catalogue for New Zealand who already are without pacers Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith and Kyle Jamieson. Mitchell Hay also was handed a test debut Wednesday in place of wicketkeeper Tom Blundell who has a hamstring strain. West Indies also faced an injury blow before the start of play when left-handed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul was ruled out of the contest with a side strain, sustained in the nets the day before the start.
New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Tom Latham were tested in the last 40 minutes. They will resume on 24 without loss when play starts on Thursday (Wednesday 6 p.m. Barbados Time).
