KEY POINTS:
Centurion Shivnarine Chanderpaul occupied his customary role as batting saviour though New Zealand still held the upper hand after a fluctuating first day of the second cricket test at McLean Park here today.
Chanderpaul, his side's designated man for a crisis, shored up an innings in strife at
74 for four, crafting his first hundred against New Zealand and his 20th of a 14-year test career shortly before the close.
The unconventional left-hander reached three figures with a deftly placed single behind square from the 214th ball he faced, a typically assured knock that has so far contained nine boundaries and a trio of sixes.
He was unbeaten on 100 at stumps while first-test century-maker Jerome Taylor will be on one when the West Indies resume tomorrow on 258 for six.
Aside from eclipsing his previous best against New Zealand - the 82 scored at Bridgetown in 1996 - Chanderpaul also figured in a face-saving partnership with adopted West Indian Brendan Nash.
Chanderpaul and Nash added a crucial 163 runs for the fifth wicket, a liaison instrumental in lifting the tourists spirits though the gloss was taken off by the concession of two late wickets.
West Australian-born Nash, who made his debut in last week's drawn test in Dunedin, compiled an unruffled 74, notching his maiden fifty in his just his second test innings.
The pair came together shortly before lunch with the West Indies having lost four of 31, and safely negotiated the middle session, battening down to accumulate a patient 80.
Chanderpaul and Nash were more expressive in the final session as New Zealand's attack tired.
After toiling for 54 overs without reward, the home side had late cause for celebration when a Nash chipped James Franklin to Daniel Flynn at short cover to depart angrily for 74 from 162 balls.
Franklin struck with the fifth over of the new ball, the highlight of the left-armer's day after he seemed to struggle for pace when opening the bowling.
The momentum shifted the home side's way again in the shadow of stumps when wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin was bowled by Daniel Vettori for six, shouldering arms to a ball that cannoned into middle and off stumps.
Chanderpaul's 269 minutes of resolve was hardly unexpected.
His vigil is simply a continuation of the form that has seen him average a staggering 103.15 from 21 innings.
Conservative from the outset, Chanderpaul slowly set about blunting a New Zealand attack that got off to a better than anticipated start after Chris Gayle won the toss and chose to bat in perfect conditions.
Chanderpaul required 147 balls to post his second fifty of the series while Nash, the former Queensland representative who qualifies for the West Indies through his Jamaican-born parents, followed Chanderpaul's blueprint.
He raised his bat when he uppercutting a Franklin short ball to the third man fence for his 10th boundary.
Chanderpaul rarely set the pulse racing but neither did he experience any palpitations - his only mild concern was a forlorn attempt to reverse a rejected leg before wicket appeal when on 28.
Vettori's request for a second opinion from third umpire Mark Benson smacked of desperation - the Englishman only needed one replay to determine the ball was clearing the stumps after Chanderpaul shouldered arms to Kyle Mills.
The loss of Nash and Ramdin tilts the balance in New Zealand's favour although the West Indies were still satisfied after they crumbled alarmingly once Gayle was dismissed by Iain O'Brien's first delivery.
Gayle, who made a fluent 34, was squared up by a ball that nipped off the seam to give wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum the first of two catches at the wicket.
Patel also had early success, having Ramnaresh Sarwan caught behind for 11.
Xavier Marshall continued the West Indies' slide when he was brilliantly caught at slip by Jesse Ryder, low down to his right for six.
Vettori then chimed in to remove opener Sewnarine Chattergoon for a paintaking 13 from 72 balls.
Patel was the workhorse today, taking one for 41 from 25 overs that included 12 maidens.
Vettori had two for 58 and O'Brien two for 59.
- NZPA
