Twitter Reactions: West Indies show some resistance after New Zealand enforces follow-on

New Zealand tightened their grip on the match on Day 3 after pushing West Indies into another follow-on. All it took Tim Southee to wrap up the West Indies’ first innings was four balls after they finished at 124 for 8 on Day 2. Continuing with the same rigor in the morning, Southee’s outswinger undid Joshua da Silva, whereas he rocked Shannon Gabriel’s stumps to give him a taste of his own medicine. The visitors were scalped for 131 and for the first time since 2014, a New Zealand pacers’ pair bagged all 10 wickets between them as both Southee and Jamieson returned with 5-wicket hauls.

After the enforcement of the follow-on, the openers made a watchful start as they added 37 for the first wicket. Trent Boult struck in the 11th over as Will Young assisted him with a brilliant catch at leg gully to get rid of Kraigg Braithwaite(24 from 42), who flicked a testing inswinger. Darren Bravo continued his horrid form as he could manage only 4 runs before he popped up a nasty short delivery from Boult to gully.

Though the next pair – John Campbell and Shamarh Brooks – did well to see off a searing spell from the New Zealanders, as they played patiently and left well. They dragged their partnership well into the second session as their team, for the first time in the series, looked settled in the middle. Although, the fightback was not to last too long as Brooks gave a feather-edge off Wagner’s perfect length ball, which ended straight inside the wicketkeeper’s gloves.

West Indies fightback

His dismissal inflicted another collapse as West Indies lost Roston Chase and John Campbell in quick succession. While Jamieson’s good length ball in the fourth-stump channel proved too good for Chase – who nicked it to Latham at second slip and made a pair in the Test, Campbell’s soaking 68 from 109 came to an end as he under-edged one from Jamieson straight into his wickets.

West Indies, after being rattled briefly again, did well to fight back through their lower middle-order as Jason Holder (60*) and Joshua da Silva (25*) showed immense resistance and maturity to see the team inch close towards the 250-mark. Tomorrow, West Indies will prioritize to score at least 85 more to make New Zealand bat again and evade an innings-defeat.

Here are the best tweets

Watching some serious Red Ball cricket now . Trent Boult on a mission @BLACKCAPS

— i dont like cricket , i love it ! (@lordloopin) December 12, 2020

Now Trent Boult reminding us why he is the left arm Dale Steyn

How good is Test cricket!#NZvWI https://t.co/9NMlhWz8vX

— Dennis Jamieson (@DennisCricket_) December 12, 2020

BJ Watling now has been involved in 50+ dismissals in Test cricket with three bowlers – Tim Southee (71*), Trent Boult (52*) and Neil Wagner (50*).

Only Mark Boucher (5) and Adam Gilchrist (4) have been part of 50+ Test dismissals with more than three bowlers. #NZvWI

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) December 13, 2020

Trent Boult bowling average in Tests at the Basin Reserve:

Day 1 – 51.42
Day 2 – 40.55
Day 3 – 13.11
Day 4 – 17.87
Day 5 – 33.20#NZvWI #StatChat

— Ut🇮🇳Cash (@imUSkohli) December 13, 2020

Trent Boult is back in the wickets now but this test is the first time that he had not taken a first innings wicket in a test in NZ #NZvWI

— Francis Payne (@FPayne100) December 12, 2020

"It'd be a pretty special achievement," Trent Boult reflects on the prospect of the team going joint #1 in the @ICC Test rankings with a win in the 2nd Test #NZvWI pic.twitter.com/EnPhBDxH0f

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 13, 2020

Suddenly after a good start of 41-0 Windies lose 2 in 3 balls to Trent Boult #NZvWI

— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) December 12, 2020

Trent Boult will eat this batting lineup alive.

— 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡 (𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 🏡) (@SmudgeStan) December 12, 2020

Trent Boult is brilliant #NZvWI

— #CHAMP20NS (@reddevilrawle) December 12, 2020

Hey @trent_boult n @NeilWagner13 now why don’t you both take 5-fer’s in d 2nd innings 😄#NZvWI

— Karthik Rao (@Cric_Karthikk) December 12, 2020