Fast bowler Jacob Duffy ripped through the West Indies’ fragile batting lineup, with a second consecutive five-wicket haul to bowl New Zealand to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory inside three days in the second Test here on Friday.
Duffy claimed five wickets in an innings for the second time in the series, as the visitors, trailing by 73 runs in their first innings, produced another forgettable batting display to be skittled out for just 128 runs at the Basin Reserve, their sixth lowest Test score against New Zealand.
Needing to score a mere 56 runs to complete a straightforward win, the home side lost captain Tom Latham cheaply, but Devon Conway and Kane Williamson needed just ten overs to reach their target and take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series following the drawn opening Test.
The West Indies began the day on 32 for two, with the memories of their historic second innings performance from the first Test still fresh in their head and the belief they could replicate it.
Overnight batters Brandon King and Kavem Hodge looked in good nick early on while adding 18 runs, and were hardly bothered in the first half hour, until an unfortunate run out turned the tide of the match.
King drove a delivery from Michael Rae to cover and set off for a single, but was sent back by Hodge who initially set off for the run before changing his mind. King though, did not get back to his crease in time and was found short of his ground, following a pinpoint throw from Michael Bracewell which was collected by wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay.
Five balls later, Rae got the crucial wicket of Shai Hope, who presented him with a simple return catch when his attempted block ballooned into the air, to leave the Windies in dire straits at 58 for four.
Skipper Roston Chase’s wretched form with the bat continued when he gloved a sharp, rising delivery from Duffy behind to the keeper after scoring just two, and when substitute fielder Will Young took a blinder of a catch at short midwicket on the second attempt to remove Hodge for the topscore of 35, the contest was essentially over at 88 for six.
Justin Greaves added 25 runs with Tevin Imlach to stem the constant flow of wickets, but Duffy returned after lunch to account for Greaves lbw via review after he had initially been given not out.
With just one run added to the score, Imlach was pouched at second slip by Latham as he drove at a delivery from Duffy outside the off stump to plunge the Windies into deeper trouble at 114 for eight.
The end came swiftly after that, with Rae bowling Jayden Seales for a duck and Duffy fittingly dismissed last man Ojay Shields to grab his second five wicket haul in only his second Test.
Duffy ended with figures of 5-38, while Rae supported with 3-45.
Anderson Phillip claimed the wicket of Latham for nine, but Conway, who scored an unbeaten 28 off just 22 balls with six fours and Williamson, who ended on 16 not out with four boundaries, wasted little time in romping to 57 for one at almost six runs an over.
(CMC)
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