Black Caps take control of second test

Black Caps bowlers celebrate during the second day of the second test at Hamilton. Photo: Getty...
Black Caps bowlers celebrate during the second day of the second test at Hamilton. Photo: Getty Images
The West Indies have a job to do if they are to win the second test against New Zealand and squre the series after a rain-hit second day at Seddon Park today.

The tourists, already 1-0 down in the two-match series, will start day three at 215-8, trailing New Zealand by 158 runs.

Test debutant Ray Reifer is on 22 and Miguel Cummins 10.

New Zealand reached 373 in the morning session, having begun at 286-7, on the strength of a breezy 10th wicket stand of 61 between new ball pair Tim Southee and Trent Boult.
Boult finished unbeaten on 37 off 27 balls, Southee was last man out for 31, the pair each hitting two sixes and Boult, in particular, producing an exotic range of shots.

Rain cut short a fascinating middle session. The West Indies had got to 87-2 off 21 overs but two hours were lost to the weather and it didn't help the tourists.

The New Zealand bowlers chipped away and the wickets came.

Before the rain, Shimon Hetmyer had looked good, getting off the mark hooking Boult for six, then clattering a four through mid off and chipping another boundary over mid wicket.

Kraigg Brathwaite got stuck into left armer Neil Wagner who had taken nine wickets in the first test at Wellington last week.

He hooked a six over fine leg and took three fours in quick time, leaving Wagner with 21 taken off his first two overs.

Hetmyer fell shortly before the delay, Boult had taken a fine diving return catch.

When they resumed after a two-hour break, Shai Hope edged Southee low to first slip; Roston Chase was bowled by a ball from Colin de Grandhomme which moved away a touch to hit off stump; Sunil Ambris, for the second time in his first three innings in tests, trod on his wicket, suggesting a technical issue he needs to fix; and Brathwaite, after getting to 66, was smartly caught by Southee at short cover, at the second grab, off de Grandhomme.

Those four wickets fell for 45 in the space of 16.4 overs.

Shane Dowrich pushed the West Indies to the brink of avoiding the follow on with a racy 35 before skying an attempted pull at Neil Wagner and Kemar Roach, attempting to emulate Boult's distinctive approach, speared a catch to short third man.

Southee, Boult, de Grandhomme and Wagner all finished the day with two wickets, Southee the pick of the quartet.

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