Live blog: Black Caps v West Indies
3rd & 7 37yd
3rd & 7 37yd
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Morning all from Seddon Park for day two of the second test against the West Indies.A reminder: NZ start at 286-7 with Tom Blundell on 12 and Neil Wagner on 1.The day will start in bright sunlight but plenty of cloud round. It's quite warm too, but rain is forecast for later in the afternoon.
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So what would NZ's thinking be about the first hour. They will want at least another 50-60 runs from their tail. Making around 340-350 having been sent in would be a reasonable position to be in.Wagner in at No 9 brought a mischevious line of thinking last night. It went along the lines that he was the nightwatchman to protect Tim Southee. Ho ho.Southee has scored more test runs for New Zealand than any other player without a test century, 1331. Maybe scoring a rapid unbeaten 77 in his first test against England back in 2008 at Napier did him no favours. He's made just three fifties in his 57 tests before this one.Southee has gone past the old mark of Dipak Patel (1200 runs), Daniel Flynn (1038) and the late Ken Wadsworth (1010).The world record is with S.K. Warne of Australia, who made 3154 runs sans a century. Second is former Indian opener Chetean Chauhan, who scored 2084 with a record 16 fifties.
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Just thinking Shannon Gabriel is a chance to finish the innings with a five-fer despite some wretched bowling through the day. The big lad from Trinidad found some zip late on and the second new ball gave him some more oomph.If Blundell is in a confident frame of mind he might be thinking, only 88 for a second test century in his second test.Allrounder Jimmy Neesham did that against India (137 not out) and 107 against the West Indies four months later in 2014.There's a name. Three tests ago he was in the New Zealand team -- remembering New Zealand took eight months off test cricket this year -- but with Colin de G's advances he's a long way out of the picture now.Nine minutes away from a start.BTW there's a Christmas street parade in the Tron early this afternoon. That might hurt the crowd size.
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New Zealand 292-8 (88 overs)Gabriel with the day's second over and already there's a fine leg and deep square leg for Blundell. With only a deepish mid on to complete the onside there's easy single/two territory for the batsman. First boundary of the day as Blundell pushes a ball back down the ground. Impressive timing. That's followed by two pushed wide of mid on, who misfields.
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New Zealand 297-8 (90 overs)A single apiece for Blundell and Southee, a swat from the seamer towards mid on and a duck beneath a Roach bouncer. Southee makes a serious miscue, aiming to the onside and the ball flies high for two to deep cover. Jammy. A single to deep square leg to complete an over with a bit of everything in it.
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New Zealand 303-8 (91 overs)Blundell miscues a pull at Gabriel and the ball bounces near his feet, then ducks under a short-pitched flier. There's a Sunday morning daze about the ground too. All very mellow. Blundell jabs a no ball for a fast-run two to mid wicket. That's the 11th no ball of the innings, and seventh for the Archangel.Over finishes with a quick single for Blundell.
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New Zealand 309-8 (92 overs)Cracking on drive by Blundell to the fence off Roach. He looks a bit like a baseball slugger in his stance which he admitted in Wellington had the bat inching higher and higher as he worked on a method. He didn't mean it to get that high, but it works, so there. Quick single to cover as the batsmen keep the board ticking along.Southee bangs a short one to deep mid wicket for a single. 23-1 off the first 5 overs today.
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New Zealand 317-8 (95 overs)A fourth wicket for Gabriel and almost a fifth as Boult edges one just short of gully with a curious defensive block.Then a nifty steer over slips to the fence. He must be frustrating for bowlers when he hangs around and gets runs in odd ways. Now a step away slog to vacant mid on for a single.
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New Zealand 334-9 (97 overs)Southee would have had four to long off but Gabriel stuck his size 15 right foot in the way. Whizzes a bouncer past the batsman. Still eyeing a five-fer so probably reluctant to part with the pill. Southee scoops two over mid wicket then swings a six behind square over the stand. Lost ball.
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New Zealand 358-9 (99 overs)A good time for a drinks break. Boult has just taken 14 in four Gabriel deliveries, stepping away, and slipping in so doing, and slapping one to the point fence, then a baseball slug over the long on fence and a straight hit high for another four. This stand is now worth 46. The NZ record, btw, is a small matter of 151 by Brian Hastings and Richard Collinge against Pakistan at Eden Park in 1973. Boult is on 35 off 19, Southee on 18.
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New Zealand 373-9 (102 overs)Southee survives a check for a stumping off Kraigg Brathwaite. Never in doubt. This is the second best 10th wicket stand v Winies, after the unbroken 78 of Blundell and Boult at Wellington last week. The Windies have been clueless in bowling to the last pair. There's a reason why they are batting here. They aren't as good as Nos 4 and 5. Bowl normal. Weird.
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David LeggatIn HamiltonA last wicket stand of 61 put a sting into New Zealand’s first innings against the West Indies at Seddon Park on the second morning of the second test today.Fast bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult clattered the bowlers to push New Zealand from 312 for nine to 373.Southee was last man out for 31 slapping a return catch to fast bowler Kemar Roach. Boult, who produced some outrageous hitting, finished 37 not out off 27 balls.The stand was the second highest fort the 10th wicket against the West Indies, behind only the unbroken 78 of Tom Blundell and Boult in the first test in Wellington a week ago.The morning began well for the West Indies, who dismissed Neil Wagner to the second ball of the day.Blundell was bowled by Shannon Gabriel for 28 but the tourists couldn’t break the last pair. Their runs came in 8.1 overs and they pushed a useful total to a distinctly impressive one.Gabriel finished with four for 119, there were three for Roach, two for Miguel Cummins and a wicket on debut for left armer Ray Reifer.New Zealand won the first test by an innings and 67 runs.
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West Indies xxxx (1 over)Brathwaite under way with a four between third slip and gully, then a quick single to extra cover off Southee. The stand-in skipper shapes as the rock for this batting operation. There's plenty of shots among those to follow but Brathwaite's is a key role here.WICKET!
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West Indies 5-1 (2 overs)Boult sends a sharp lifter whizzing past Brathwaite's head, then has him prodding at a ball to short leg, but off his thigh pad. Repeats that next ball. A lively start from the left armer, still presumably buzzing from his batting pyrotechnics.
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West Indies 5-1 (5 overs)Hetmyer pushes forward at Southee and the ball runs into the slips. Testing time leading to lunch. One would suggest pretty important they get through without any more slipups.Then Hetmyer, the impetousity of youth showing through, has a swing at a Southee short ball and misses. In Wellington he talked about the importance of backing himself, playing his shots. And that'a fourth straight maiden.
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West Indies 6-1 (6 overs)Brathwaite takes one behind square to move the board on an inch. Now Hetmyer's first look at Boult. A firm drive, a leave down the leg side, a play and miss, and another and a push back to the bowler off the bottom of the bat. Interesting contest.
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West Indies 22-1 (8 overs)Brathwaite gets one more behind square off Boult and the battle with Hetmyer resumes. The young man from Guyana launches into a hook and, although there's a slight miscue, it flies for six. He's under way. Now follows with a cracking off drive which flies to the long off fence.
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David LeggatIn HamiltonA last-wicket stand of 61 gave New Zealand a lift on the second morning of the second test against the West Indies at Seddon Park.And a wicket in the first over of the West Indies’ response further lifted the hosts’ spirits.At lunch the West Indies are 24 for one, replying to New Zealand’s 373, with captain Kraigg Brathwaite on 14 and Shimron Hetmyer on 10.The morning began well for the West Indies, as they removed Neil Wagner and Tom Blundell fairly early and at 312 for nine were entitled to think the end was nigh.Instead new ball pair Tim Southee and Trent Boult turned on the entertainment with some impressive, and outrageous hitting.They produced the second best 10th wicket partnership against the West Indies, behind only the unbroken 78 in the first test by Blundell and Boult.Boult, in particular, took toll of the bowlers showing a keen eye despite his footwork getting him into unusual positions.He took 14 in the space of three Shannon Gabriel deliveries, including a six over long on with a baseball slug and four slapped through point when he stepped away and lost his footing.Kemar Roach dropped a hard but straightforward return catch off Boult just before finishing the innings, having Southee caught and bowled for 31. Boult finished 37 not out off 27 balls.Southee then removed lefthander Kieran Powell with the last ball of his opening over. The batsmen pushed tentatively at a delivery and touched a catch to wicketkeeper Blundell.Brathwaite got through an awkward start against left armer Boult but had settled in, while little Hetmyer got off the mark, swinging Boult for six over fine leg, then produced a classy off drive from the same bowler.At lunch, Southee had taken one for 12 from his five overs.