By Alex Powell at Hagley Oval
Regular wickets have led to the West Indies claiming day one bragging rights as the first test of the Black Caps’ home summer began in Christchurch.
Asked to bat first on a green pitch under grey skies, New Zealand’s batting unit looked every bit a side that hasn’t played test cricket since the start of August and a home test since December 2024.
The Black Caps made 231-9 from 70 overs on the first day, a scorecard helped by 52 runs to the returning Kane Williamson, playing his first test in nearly a year. Michael Bracewell added 47, but the rest of the Kiwi order couldn’t capitalise on the 93-run stand between Williamson and Tom Latham (24) and fell one by one.
Having won the toss and bowled, the West Indies vindicated the decision by captain Roston Chase. All six of the tourists’ bowling options took a wicket, with 2-35 to Justin Greaves being the standout as he removed Williamson and Latham.
Local lad Zak Foulkes and No 11 Jacob Duffy will return on day two, tasked with inflating the Black Caps’ scorecard as much as they can before hoping the bowlers enjoy the same success as their Caribbean counterparts.
Already without Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner, both of whom failed injury tests, the Black Caps’ batting order was hit further on the opening morning when Devon Conway fell to Kemar Roach (2-47) for a second-ball duck at 1-1 in the first over.
After seeing off the opening spells of the West Indies’ quicks, Latham and Williamson slowly got into their work. They reached lunch with one off 31 balls and 13 off 31 respectively before reaching their 50-run stand in 103 balls with a trademark Williamson punch to the cover boundary.
As the sun came out, Williamson accelerated. Having not hit a boundary in the morning, the former captain found the fence six times in the afternoon on his way to an 88-ball half-century.
While the innings was at times trademark Williamson – playing the ball late with soft hands and looking composed at all times – there was also fortune going his way. On 33, debutant Ojay Shields (2-34) hit the stumps for what should have been a first test wicket, only for Williamson to be saved by a no-ball.
That luck ran out on 52 as Williamson’s soft hands deserted him when he edged Greaves to Alick Athanaze, ending his stand with Latham. Two overs later, the captain became Greaves’ second victim when he was caught behind by Tevin Imlach for 24 from 85 balls, and then Rachin Ravindra lost his stumps to Jayden Seales (1-44) for three.
When Will Young came and went for 14 – caught by Greaves to give Johann Layne a first test wicket – New Zealand’s 94-1 had become 120-5 as the Black Caps lost the bulk of their batting in the session.
Shields may have been denied in the morning but snared his maiden test scalp after tea as Tom Blundell dragged on to his stumps for 29 as the Black Caps slid further to 148-6. To make matters worse, Blundell appeared to battle a hamstring issue during his innings, perhaps leading to the lack of footwork in his dismissal.
With the specialist batters back in the sheds, it was up to the allrounders to salvage New Zealand’s first innings and Bracewell and Nathan Smith answered. The pair added the second 50-stand of the day, needing only 90 deliveries to share their milestone, with Bracewell particularly positive.
A punch into cover by Bracewell raised New Zealand’s 200, only for Smith to depart three balls later for 23 when he chipped Roston Chase to John Campbell at short midwicket.
After being given lives on 31 and 43, Bracewell was out when he hammered Shields straight to Tangenerine Chanderpaul at deep midwicket after adding a 47 that included six boundaries.
Matt Henry added a further eight runs before he was bounced out by Roach, while Jacob Duffy’s first ball was punched for four through point to take the total past 230.
But a blow to Duffy’s head and the resulting concussion test led to stumps being called as the West Indies left Hagley Oval as the happier of the two sides.
New Zealand 231-9 (Williamson 52; Shields 2-34)
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.