Steady West Indies continue to eye victory against New Zealand

Port of Spain, (Trinidad), June 20 (IANS/CMC): The West Indies made steady progress in their quest to win the second Test, picking up two more wickets as New Zealand stumbled to 181 for six at tea on the fourth day of the contest at the Queen's Park Oval here on Thursday.

The Caribbean side knocked over the dangerous Ross Taylor for 36 and also got Hamish Rutherford for 11, to expose the tail, with the Black Caps still requiring another 58 runs to avoid an innings defeat. 

Wicketkeeper B.J. Watling was unbeaten on 18 and partnered by Ish Sodhi on three.

Fast bowler Jerome Taylor claimed two for 31, while left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn has two for 51.

Resuming from 126 for four at lunch, New Zealand got early boundaries when Watling cut fast bowler Shannon Gabriel past gully and Taylor swept Benn fine.

However, Taylor found himself tied down and, attempting to break the shackles, played a rash drive at Gabriel, only to edge behind to wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin.

Rutherford, batting down the order because of illness, then frustrated West Indies for nearly an hour without really threatening. He flicked Gabriel square for four to get off the mark but then grafted his way through the session.

He got a streaky boundary through slip off Taylor but then succumbed in the bowler's next over, lbw offering no stroke to one angled in.

Watling, meanwhile, kept up the other end for New Zealand and has so far struck two fours off 67 deliveries.