NZ vs WI, 2020: 2nd Test, Day 1 – Holder's toss streak, Latham turns captain, Gabriel @ 150 wickets and more stats

New Zealand made a steady start on the first day’s play of the Wellington Test where they recovered from early strikes of West Indies and finished with 294/6. In the absence of Kane Williamson, the home side was three wickets down for 78 runs on the board in the opening session. Henry Nicholls rescued the Blackcaps with his unbeaten 117 off 207 balls that included 15 fours and a six. The No.4 batsman put on 50+ stands for the 4th, 5th and 6th wickets as the Kiwis ended the day close to the 300-run mark.

Here are all the statistical highlights from the opening day of the 2nd NZ vs WI Test in Wellington:

Yet another ton for Nicholls in Wellington:

3/6 – Three of the six centuries by Henry Nicholls in Test cricket came at the Wellington’s Basin Reserve. Only Martin Crowe (5) has more Test tons than Nicholls in Wellington. Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and John Wright also have three centuries apiece in Test cricket at Basin Reserve.

Milestone game for Taylor and Wagner:

50 – The 2nd NZ vs WI Test match is the 50th game of Neil Wagner’s Test career which began in 2012. Neil Wagner (212 wickets until 49th Test) and Sir Richard Hadlee (235 wickets) are the only players to have picked 200+ wickets for New Zealand in their first 50 Tests.

50 – This Test match in Wellington is also the 50th Test appearance for Ross Taylor but at home. Taylor is now only the 3rd player to feature in as many as 50 Test matches on New Zealand soil. He is only behind Daniel Vettori (57) and Stephen Fleming (54) at the moment.

Milestone for Gabriel in his milestone Test:

150 – With the three wickets on the first day, Shannon Gabriel completed 150 wickets in Test cricket in what was his 50th Test match. Gabriel is the 14th player with 150+ Test wickets for West Indies but the 2nd slowest to reach the milestone after Sir Gary Sobers (63).

Another bowl first Test for Holder:

8* – Jason Holder now has elected to bowl first in each of his last right Tests where he won the toss. He now has equalled the record of Geoff Howarth (8 during 1980-1983) for electing to bowl first in most consecutive Tests while winning the toss.

A rare opening batsman as captain for the Kiwis:

2005 – Tom Latham became the first New Zealand captain in 15 years to open the batting in a home Test match. The last NZ skipper to open in a home Test was Stephen Fleming in 2005 against Australia also during a Test match hosted by the Basin Reserve. Latham is also only the 8th captain to open the batting in a home Test match for the Blackcaps. Latham had already opened the batting while leading New Zealand earlier this year in Sydney.

1988 – Latham, by taking the first strike in this game, became the first New Zealand skipper in 32 years to face the first ball of a Test match. The last such New Zealand captain was John Wright in March 1988 against New Zealand which was also during a Test played at the Wellington’s Basin Reserve.