Boult brilliant as NZ smash Windies

West Indies will be looking to getting their bowling up to scratch before they head to Hamilton to try and save their three-match series after New Zealand won the second test by an innings and 73 runs inside three days.

The test, which finished on Friday, saw the West Indies failing to make use of the ball, despite winning the toss and electing to bowl.

The home side bowled a fuller length on the Basin Reserve wicket that allowed the ball to swing and seam as well as force the West Indies batsmen to play shots at more deliveries, which the tourists’ captain said they must learn from.

The Black Caps took 16 wickets in a little over two sessions on Friday as the West Indies were bowled out for 193 then 175 in reply to New Zealand’s first innings of 441.

It was New Zealand’s first test win in 12 months, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. It was also their first win in 11 tests with Brendon McCullum as captain.

Left-arm bowler Trent Boult took a career-best 6-40 in the first innings, including a spell of 5-15 in six overs of the morning session, and followed up with 4-40 in the second.

The loss was the West Indies’ third by an innings in their last four tests after their two innings defeats by India in November. The first test of this series was drawn when rain halted play with New Zealand needing 33 runs to win.

“We had to work incredibly hard and, after losing the toss as well, we were on the back foot from the start. We saw some guys step up and perform well, Ross Taylor with the bat and Boult and the other seamers were outstanding.”

“These performances in the last two test matches have been excellent and we’ve been led by Ross Taylor with the bat,” McCullum said.

“He’s in sublime form…and our bowling unit is that strong in our conditions and when there’s a little bit in the wicket we see these guys really stand up and deliver.”

Futile resistance

Kirk Edwards (35) and Kieran Powell (36) shared a 74-run stand at the start of the second innings which might have briefly caused McCullum to question his decision to enforce the follow on.

Tim Southee then removed both openers within the space of one run and Samuels for 12 while Neil Wagner dismissed first test double century-maker Darren Bravo for a duck as the tourists crumbled to 94-4.

Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul tried to marshall some resistance, batting two hours for an unbeaten 31. But from 145-5, the West Indies’ lower order again capitulated and they lost their last five wickets for 30 runs.

Chanderpaul found little support until Tino Best, at No. 10, produced a bright and but futile late cameo, dashing 21 from 18 balls.

“Boult bowled really well and again we have a lot to learn from the opposition,” West Indies captain Darren Sammy said.

“We won the toss and bowled first but we just didn’t exploit the conditions.

“We didn’t bowl well, we didn’t bat well and that’s the reason why we’re 1-0 down in the series.”