By Alex Powell at Bay Oval
The Black Caps have sealed a comprehensive victory over the West Indies at Bay Oval and taken a 2-0 series win to end 2025 on the perfect note.
On a wicket that broke up as expected under the Tauranga sun, the West Indies fell short of their 462-run target as the hosts completed a 323-run win after tea on the final day.
With Ajaz Patel expected to lead New Zealand’s charge, Jacob Duffy continued to be the Black Caps’ hero, taking 5-42 to finish with nine wickets in the match and earn player-of-the-series honours.
With the bowling stocks decimated by injuries, the 31-year-old was outstanding across the three tests, also claiming five-wicket hauls in Christchurch and Wellington to finish with 23 strikes at an average of 15.43.
Those wickets meant Duffy claimed the most by a Kiwi in a home series and he also went past Sir Richard Hadlee for the most across formats in a calendar year for the Black Caps, with 81. Regardless of when New Zealand’s fast bowling stocks are replenished, Duffy now stands tall as an undroppable member of the Black Caps across all three formats.
Having waited seven years to take his maiden test wicket on home soil, Patel also played his part as the pitch deteriorated rapidly from the one that led to just 20 wickets falling across the first four days.
The 37-year-old, who has few guarantees over his test future, claimed 3-23 in the innings and 6-136 in the match – and made excellent use of the conditions that offered rare assistance to slow bowlers on home soil.
The West Indies, meanwhile, made it clear early on that victory was not in their thinking and instead opted to try to bat out the final day. After surviving 163.3 overs to save the first test at Hagley Oval, the tourists lasted 80.3 before the final wicket fell at Bay Oval.
Brandon King was the only player to make it past 20 with his 67 as the rest of the order folded, resulting in a collapse of all 10 wickets for 51 runs after the opening stand was broken.
Victory nets the Black Caps another 12 points towards their World Test Championship tally and lifts New Zealand from third to second, ahead of South Africa in the race for a top-two finish.
The West Indies languish last on the ladder with four points from eight completed tests to begin the new cycle.
The Black Caps won’t get the chance to add to that tally until the middle of 2026, with their next World Test Championship assignment coming in June, away to an England side on the ropes after what will be a heavy defeat to Australia in the Ashes.
After the openers batted through the first hour without real cause for concern, a collapse of 5-11 in the morning effectively sealed New Zealand’s win before lunch.
Duffy had King caught at gully as a vicious bouncer took the gloves to Glenn Phillips and got Alick Athanaze (2) out when he edged behind to Tom Blundell.
At the other end, Patel ended John Campbell’s 105-ball vigil for 16 when he found Phillips at long-on, and then had first-innings centurion Kavem Hodge caught at short leg by Rachin Ravindra for a duck.
When Justin Greaves’ outside edge was accepted by Daryl Mitchell at slip off Duffy without scoring, the West Indies had wobbled from 87-0 to 98-5. With half his side gone, and little quality left in the sheds, captain Roston Chase (5) was greeted by an unplayable Duffy short ball, which took the gloves to Tom Latham at second slip and left the tourists at 104-6.
After battling to three runs from 78 balls, Shai Hope padded up to a ball outside off-stump from Patel. The delivery was clearly missing the stumps, but because he was hit on the full the third umpire could assume the ball would travel straight on as a review showed it to be crashing into the stumps.
Kemar Roach’s torrid test, ruined by a hamstring injury on day one, ended when he dragged on to his stumps for four off Phillips (1-14) as New Zealand closed in on victory and the visitors reached tea at 138-8.
Returning for the final session of the series, 324 runs away from victory or with 30 overs to survive, Ravindra (1-0) had Anderson Phillip (10) dropped by Phillips at short leg, only to trap him lbw three balls later and leave New Zealand one away.
And as Duffy needed just three deliveries with the new ball to rattle the stumps of Jayden Seales (0), the Black Caps had beaten the clock and the West Indies for a 2-0 win.
The Black Caps can now enjoy Christmas and the New Year off before travelling to India for three ODIs and five T20s in the second week of January.
New Zealand 575 & 306-2 declared
West Indies 420 & 138 (King 67; Duffy 5-42)
New Zealand win by 323 runs
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.