BRIDGETOWN:
Kemar Roaoch is known to spray the ball around in search of extra pace.
On the first morning of the series decider at his home ground in
Barbados, he employed a full length and coaxed just enough swing to push
New Zealand on the back foot.
After the openers fell, however, the hosts' five-man bowling attack was safely negotiated by Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor. Their 12th half-century partnership was the primary reason for a session run-rate of 3.65 and in the end, like most of this series, both teams headed into a break on rather even ground. West Indies would not be slouching just yet as Sulieman Benn and his high-arm action extracted some turn and bounce with the Test only an hour and a half old.
There seems to be a jinx on the opening partnership for New Zealand. Three different combinations have been attempted in the past 15 months, discounting Brendon McCullum forced promotion in at Port-of-Spain, and only once has the 100-run mark been crossed.
Hamish Rutherford had contributed to that stand, against England in March 2013, when he made 171 on Test debut. However since that breakthrough innings, he has fizzled away. He was tempted onto his front foot with an inswinger and the half-hearted chip was pouched by mid-on. That began a spell of concerted pressure from West Indies.
Debutant quick and another hometown boy Jason Holder beat Tom Latham's outside edge twice in his first over. Only seven runs could be scratched out in the five overs before Roach struck again. His skiddy action lent itself quite nicely to the fuller length he concentrated on and with the wind aiding him in darting the ball back into the left-hander, he beat Latham for pace and the late swerve in trapped him plumb in front. The batsman had escaped a previous leg before appeal by virtue of DRS, but this time he had no hope.
Taylor and Williamson eased their side out of trouble with caution early on. But they were not indifferent towards scoring opportunities. Sixteen fours were hit in the session, with the pair contributing 13 of them. Jerome Taylor was the leak - he floated a half-volley that was caressed to the boundary to kick the match off and conceded five further fours. The discipline that has him at the top of the wicket-taker's chart for the series was absent as he flitted between short and wide and full and on the pads.
There was one instant where he showcased the spite of a typical West Indian quick. A well-directed short ball in the 16th over rammed into Taylor's shoulder while he was still deciding whether to fend it off or take evasive action. But such moments were few and far between as the ball lost it's shine. Williamson, as is his wont, played as late and as close to his body as he could. Taylor was a little more expansive and New Zealand would hope they have only just punched in to work.
After the openers fell, however, the hosts' five-man bowling attack was safely negotiated by Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor. Their 12th half-century partnership was the primary reason for a session run-rate of 3.65 and in the end, like most of this series, both teams headed into a break on rather even ground. West Indies would not be slouching just yet as Sulieman Benn and his high-arm action extracted some turn and bounce with the Test only an hour and a half old.
There seems to be a jinx on the opening partnership for New Zealand. Three different combinations have been attempted in the past 15 months, discounting Brendon McCullum forced promotion in at Port-of-Spain, and only once has the 100-run mark been crossed.
Hamish Rutherford had contributed to that stand, against England in March 2013, when he made 171 on Test debut. However since that breakthrough innings, he has fizzled away. He was tempted onto his front foot with an inswinger and the half-hearted chip was pouched by mid-on. That began a spell of concerted pressure from West Indies.
Debutant quick and another hometown boy Jason Holder beat Tom Latham's outside edge twice in his first over. Only seven runs could be scratched out in the five overs before Roach struck again. His skiddy action lent itself quite nicely to the fuller length he concentrated on and with the wind aiding him in darting the ball back into the left-hander, he beat Latham for pace and the late swerve in trapped him plumb in front. The batsman had escaped a previous leg before appeal by virtue of DRS, but this time he had no hope.
Taylor and Williamson eased their side out of trouble with caution early on. But they were not indifferent towards scoring opportunities. Sixteen fours were hit in the session, with the pair contributing 13 of them. Jerome Taylor was the leak - he floated a half-volley that was caressed to the boundary to kick the match off and conceded five further fours. The discipline that has him at the top of the wicket-taker's chart for the series was absent as he flitted between short and wide and full and on the pads.
There was one instant where he showcased the spite of a typical West Indian quick. A well-directed short ball in the 16th over rammed into Taylor's shoulder while he was still deciding whether to fend it off or take evasive action. But such moments were few and far between as the ball lost it's shine. Williamson, as is his wont, played as late and as close to his body as he could. Taylor was a little more expansive and New Zealand would hope they have only just punched in to work.
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