There were plenty of strong individual contributions to the collective outcome. All seems set fair for their next test assignment, to the United Arab Emirates to face Pakistan in three tests in November.
There's just one smudge on this picture: what to do about the openers.
It has got to the point where something has to be done. If you wanted to be hard-headed about it, New Zealand's success in the West Indies was achieved with 10 men, as neither Peter Fulton nor Hamish Rutherford, who shared six innings in the series as Tom Latham's partner, made worthwhile contributions with the bat.
Before the group departed for the West Indies, coach Mike Hesson talked about having the best three openers in the country vying for two spots.
The good news is Latham measured up impressively, with scores of 83, 73, 82 and 36 in the first two tests before stumbling in the deciding third match.
It was a different story at the other end.
Fulton and Rutherford opened through the first 13 tests of Rutherford's career, dating back to March last year against England. Now it's become a battle for both and time seems to be up, for 35-year-old Fulton probably for good; for 25-year-old Rutherford for now.
When New Zealand A tour England shortly, Rutherford has a chance, if he makes a bucket of runs, to be retained. The selectors have put plenty of time into him and may be reluctant to return him from whence they found him.
There are options around the country and if players are scoring heavily, which is what the selectors want, and then hear that it's of limited value given the disparity between domestic and international bowling attacks, it doesn't make much sense.
Certainly, numbers alone should not be the determining factor, otherwise why have selectors.
One of them, Bruce Edgar, was an obdurate lefthand opener from 1978 to 1986, over 39 tests, averaging 30. He must have an eye on the options and know what he's looking for.
The idea that every opener should follow the Virendar Sehwag or David Warner method is tosh.
The Indian had a wonderful eye, struck the ball cleanly and hard but had his own distinctive way of doing things. Just as pugnacious Australian Warner is a bumptious character who likes to keep the game moving along.
It is a specialist role, which is why suggestions of bumping someone like Jimmy Neesham or Corey Anderson up the order, or, heaven forbid, ease Kane Williamson up a spot, are daft.
Openers need to have a clear head, strong concentration and, in cricket parlance, know where their off stump is. That is, be happy to leave balls alone outside off, wait for the bowler to come to him.
Looking around the globe, Graeme Smith has gone from South Africa; Alastair Cook is in a trough with England. None of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India have openers of the highest calibre; Chris Gayle is hit or miss for the West Indies. So New Zealand are not alone in their dilemma.
* New Zealand's Caribbean trip rounds up this weekend with two T20s in Dominica.
No other players have been added to the test squad, the reasoning being it's pointless flying two or three players that distance for a maximum of 80 overs of cricket.
Chris Gayle is out of the West Indies squad, being rested the official information said. Talented allrounder Dwayne Bravo is still recovering from an injury.
West Indies v NZFirst T20, Dominica, from 6am tomorrow
West Indies: Darren Sammy (c), Andre Fletcher, Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Kieron Pollard, Christopher Barnwell, Andre Russell, Samuel Badree, Krishmar Santokie, Sheldon Cottrell, Sunil Narine.
New Zealand (from): Brendon McCullum (c), Hamish Rutherford, Tom Latham, Peter Fulton, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham, Luke Ronchi, BJ Watling, Mark Craig, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.
- David Leggat of the NZ Herald
