Top order batsmen gone, New Zealand in deep trouble

Port-of-Spain (Trinidad), June 19 (IANS/CMC) West Indies wrecked New Zealand's top order as they continued their seemingly inevitable march towards victory on the penultimate day of the second Test here on Thursday.

At lunch, they had reduced the Black Caps to 126 for four, with the visitors still trailing by 110 runs and nearly all their recognised batsmen back in the pavilion, reports CMC.

Stroke-maker Ross Taylor was unbeaten on 28 from 55 balls with five fours and was partnered by wicketkeeper Bradley-John Watling, who is yet to face a ball.

Combative left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn was the key man for the West Indies, claiming two of the three wickets to fall in the first session, conceding 41 runs.

Resuming at 73 for one, the Black Caps held out for 45 minutes before losing their first wicket with the score on 84.

It was Benn, bowling in an unbroken spell throughout the morning session, got one to bounce and turn and take Tom Latham's glove for Kraigg Brathwaite to take the catch close in.

The left-hander added just six to his overnight 30. Kane Williamson, unbeaten on 38 overnight, completed his 13th Test half-century and saw New Zealand past 100 before falling, flirting with a widish delivery from seamer Kemar Roach and nicking to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.

The right-hander faced 178 balls in just over 3-1/2 hours at the crease, and struck five fours.

New batsman Jimmy Neesham drove Roach sweetly past mid-off for four to get off the mark but lasted just 15 balls before falling in the penultimate over before lunch, to a brilliant return catch by Benn, diving to his right.

Brief scores:

New Zealand: 221 (Tom Latham 82, Ross Taylor 45 not out, Kane Williamson 42; Jerome Taylor 4/34, Sulieman Benn 3/73, Shannon Gabriel 2/43) and 126 for four (Kane Williamson 52, Tom Latham 36, Ross Taylor 28 not out; Sulieman Benn 2/41)

West Indies: 460 (Kraigg Brathwaite 129, Darren Bravo 109, Jermaine Blackwood 63, Kirk Edwards 55, Shiv Chanderpaul 47, Denesh Ramdin 32; Ish Sodhi 4/96, Trent Boult 3/75)