A half-century on debut from 22-year-old Jermaine Blackwood was the key performance on the third morning, during which West Indies stretched their first-innings lead to 239 in the Trinidad Test. Blackwood added 47 for the seventh wicket with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, then followed it up with a 76-run association with captain Denesh Ramdin to thwart New Zealand's plans of limiting the damage. In response, New Zealand were setback by the early loss of Brendon McCullum but held fort till the end of the day with old-fashioned attritional cricket. With two days remaining and a 166-run lead, West Indies are in pole position to square the series.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo both scored outstanding centuries as West Indies took full control over New Zealand after the second day of the second Test match at Queen’s Park Oval.
The 21-year-old Brathwaite was unflappable and made his maiden Test century – 129 off 258 balls with 13 fours in just over six hours at the crease. Bravo was dominant and hit 11 fours and four big sixes in a stroke-filled 109 off 155 balls – his first century in the Caribbean and his first at his home club ground.
Together they added a record 182 for the fourth wicket as the home side ended the day comfortably placed at 310-5 – an overall lead of 89 – after the visitors were bowled out for 221 on the opening day. Earlier in the day Kirk Edwards, hit 55 off just 64 balls in a 93-run partnership with Brathwaite.
After the day both Brathwaite and Bravo said they were satisfied with their efforts.
The sight of the green surface at the Queen's Park Oval was a welcome change after the slow-and-low pitch in Sabina Park but it appeared there was not much of a change in the script. New Zealand chose to bat, lost an early wicket, then Tom Latham and Kane Williamson laid anchor and put on a century stand as West Indies' bowlers struggled to make impact.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – West Indies are likely to go with a three-pronged pace attack in the second Test against New Zealand which bowls off here Monday, as they seek to rebound from last week's heavy defeat and level the series.
The Caribbean side were hammered by 186 runs inside four days in the first Test at Sabina Park in Kingston last Wednesday, and will hunt a victory over the next few days at Queen's Park Oval in order to stay alive in the three-Test rubber.
“Looking at the pitch, it looks like a little more grass than Jamaica so we may have to make some changes to our spin department,” Ramdin told reporters.
Bridgetown, Barbados, June 15 - (www.bcacricket.org) - Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre beat Bangladesh 'A' by eight wickets in the second and final Twenty20 match at 3Ws Oval today to level the series 1-1.
