Wagner burst leaves Windies struggling

Neil Wagner returned career-best figures of 7 for 39 as New Zealand dominated Windies on Friday (December 1), the first day of the first Test in Wellington.

Wagner’s burst helped New Zealand bowl Windies out for just 134 in 45.4 overs. The home side ended the day on 85 for 2 with Jeet Raval on 29 and Ross Taylor on 12. It had lost Tom Latham (37) and captain Kane Williamson.

Williamson managed only one run with the bat, but him winning the toss on a green pitch helped his side’s fortunes.

Despite the conditions favouring bowlers, Windies started well with its openers adding 59 in more than 21 overs to blunt out the new ball.

Trent Boult and Matt Henry were unable to break through with the new ball, but Wagner took over with some brilliant short-pitch bowling.

He was twice on a hat-trick and picked up his first seven-wicket haul as Windies lost all its ten wickets for just 75 runs.

Wagner triggered the collapse in his third over when he had Kraigg Brathwaite for 24. Another short ball from Boult ended Kieran Powell’s stay soon after, the batsman falling after an innings top-score of 42.

Windies suffered another blow before lunch when Shimron Hetmyer, the No. 3, fell in the last ball before the interval.

The visiting side went from 75 for 1 to 79 for 3 and it soon became 80 for 5 at the other side of the break.

Wagner dismissed Shai Hope with his second ball after the break and followed it up with the wicket of Sunil Ambris, the debutant falling hit-wicket off his first ball in Test cricket.

Much depended on Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich but another short ball from Wagner saw the former steering a catch to Jeet Raval at leg-slip.

Each of Wagner's first five wickets came with short deliveries, but the left-arm pacer was also smart enough to change his strategy when required. He bowled Jason Holder, the Windies captain, with a yorker as the visitor collapsed to 97 for 7. From there on, it was only a matter of time.

Latham and Raval started New Zealand’s reply strongly with a 65-run stand before Latham pulled Holder to mid-on. It was a well-deserved wicket for the bowler, who had troubled the batsmen with nagging line and length. Kemar Roach then had the big wicket of Williamson, who steered a short ball straight to gully to give Windies hope at the fag end of the day.