NZ v WI, 1st Test, Day 1, Review: Neil Wagner runs through Windies line-up on a 12-wicket day

The home season of New Zealand kicked off on Friday with an amazing spell of Neil Wagner which dismantled Windies in the space of a couple of hours. Basin Reserve in Wellington witnessed some hostile pace bowling from the Kiwis which caught the visitors off guard who looked set in the first hour of the day. However, the hosts have a firm grip now and need to bat sensibly to not allow the opposition back into the game.

New Zealand had finalised their playing XI on Thursday itself as they handed a debut to the wicketkeeper Tom Blundell and also included Matt Henry in the absence of Tim Southee who is on paternity leave. Windies too included Sunil Ambris for his first international match in place of Kyle Hope who was dropped after a string of low scores in England. Jason Holder lost the toss on a wicket which had a tinge of green on it and was sent into bat first.

The tried and tested opening duo of Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell strode out to the middle and weathered the new ball comfortably. There was neither lateral movement off the pitch nor the wind helped the Kiwi bowlers who looked flustered with the proceedings. But just when the visitors were looking comfortable, the short ball ploy employed by Neil Wagner paid dividends as Brathwaite fended one of them to short leg. The wicket rejoiced the hosts with the other opener Powell being dismissed by Trent Boult.

Wagner wreaks havoc

The second session was even worse for the visitors as the procession of wickets continued. Wagner was the man who was relentless in his short bowling and suddenly Windies batsmen started looking uncomfortable and fidgety in the middle. The approach didn’t help their cause as Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope and Ambris gifted their wickets away. Moreover, Ambris was hit-wicket off the first ball of his international career and also became the first player ever in the history of Test cricket to be dismissed in that fashion on debut.

Jason Holder then received perfect yorker at the base of off-stump which uprooted the furniture. The things went from bad to worse when Shane Dowrich, the last of the recognised batsmen,  was run-out with an absolute lack of communication with his partner Kemar Roach. Windies were reeling at 59/0 to 105/9 in the space of just 15 overs. The last wicket added 29 runs to frustrate the Kiwi bowlers as fittingly Wagner ended the innings with another short ball.

The left-arm pace bowler was hostile throughout his spell and returned with the career-best figures of 7/39. These are the second-best figures by a pacer in the opening innings of a match in last 20 years only behind Stuart Broad’s 8/15. Boult too chipped in with two wickets as the unpredictable Windies crumbled to 134 before Tea.

Windies try to fight back

Jeet Raval and Tom Latham first saw through the tricky period before tea time and then eased into their job in the final session. There were plays and misses but they stayed patient gradually picking up the runs. But Windies bowlers kept on bowling with a plan as Latham top-edged a short ball off Holder to walk back to the pavilion on 37. Soon Williamson was sent packing as the Roach struck a massive blow to the home side.

But Raval and Ross Taylor weathered some excellent bowling from Windies with their team ending the day with the upper hand. New Zealand scored 85 runs for the loss of just two wickets with only 49 runs behind the score of their opposition. The second day is expected to be a cracker one again as Holder and his men would come out all guns blazing. They have to keep plugging away through the line-up of the hosts else a long day awaits them on the field.

Brief Scores

Windies 134/10 (K Powell 42; N Wagner 7/39, T Boult 2/36)

New Zealand 85/2 (T Latham 37, J Raval 29*)