By Alex Powell at Bay Oval
The Black Caps might not have things all their own way if they’re to claim the third test against the West Indies at Mt Maunganui’s Bay Oval.
After New Zealand declared their first innings over at 575-8 in the final session on day two, the visitors got through a tricky period to reach stumps at 110-0 in reply, trailing by 465 runs heading into the weekend.
Effectively down to nine players, missing both Kemar Roach (hamstring injury) and Shai Hope (illness) – arguably their best bowler and batter respectively – the visitors can hold their heads high at the fight they have shown on the test’s second day.
Despite conceding 334-1 on the first day, on the second the West Indies took 7-241 with the ball, before opening batters Brandon King (55 not out) and John Campbell (45 not out) negotiated 23 overs without looking like being dismissed.
Although he didn’t reach a milestone before the close of play, Campbell’s innings was impressive for its determination. The 32-year-old was in clear pain, after copping a blow to his right hand in the lead-up to the third test, with internal doubts over his participation.
The openers will return to the crease on day three, with hopes of subjecting New Zealand’s attack to the same punishment handed out to their bowlers over the past two days.
After batting through all of day one, Devon Conway turned his sixth test hundred into his second double-century, anchoring New Zealand’s first innings with a career-best 227 – the 16th-highest score by a Kiwi batter in the game’s history.
To go with Tom Latham’s 137 on day one, Conway’s knock was supplemented by an unbeaten 72 from Rachin Ravindra, while the recalled Ajaz Patel thrilled the Bay Oval faithful with a cameo of 30 not out – complete with three boundaries and two sixes before the innings was ended.
But as wickets proved hard to come by in the final session of the day, the Black Caps will need Patel – who has never taken a wicket on New Zealand soil – to deliver with the ball, on a pitch that appears devoid of any assistance for the bowlers.
Returning to the crease with 178, Conway lost nightwatchman Jacob Duffy (17), before cautiously making his way through the nervous 190s and on to his 200 inside the first hour. A checked drive behind point brought up Conway’s latest milestone, before a single to square leg took him to a new career-high score and past the 200 he made on test debut against England in 2021.
After threatening a big score all summer, with starts in the white-ball series against the West Indies, Conway Bay treated the Bay Oval crowd to a masterclass. Of his 227 runs, 124 came in boundaries in a classic display of test batting, grinding through tough opening spells on both days.
At the other end, Kane Williamson (30) was caught behind off Justin Greaves (2-83), after adding 69 runs with Conway to take the score above 400, as he reached lunch at 424-3.
Into the afternoon, a single to mid-off took Conway to the significant mark of 227 – past the highest score of his idol, former South Africa opener Neil McKenzie. That was where it ended, though, as Conway departed without adding another run to his tally when he was trapped LBW by Greaves at 432-4.
That soon became 461-6 as Daryl Mitchell (11) and the returning Tom Blundell (4) went cheaply, leaving Ravindra and Glenn Phillips (29) to stem the flow of wickets. The pair added 61 runs together, as Ravindra raised his 50 in 92 balls, before Phillips was out, caught at slip by Roston Chase off Anderson Phillip (2-154).
Back-to-back sixes off Chase (1-159) showed Ravindra’s intent, as Zak Foulkes (1) came and went at the other end and it became a case of when and not if the declaration would come.
Another Ravindra boundary raised New Zealand’s 550, and when Patel launched the part-time spin of Kavem Hodge for two sixes over long-on, Latham decided New Zealand had enough, at 575-8.
With a maximum of 90 minutes to see out and end the day – and effectively down to nine batters – the West Indies’ opening pair defied the Black Caps, adding 50 runs in just 59 balls to see off the opening spells of a New Zealand seam attack fresh from nearly a week’s rest after the side’s win in Wellington last week.
Into the final hour, Campbell and King reduced the deficit to less than 500. With a cut to the deep third man boundary, King reached his half-century in 63 deliveries, 32 of those runs coming in boundaries.
Perhaps following the template of Latham and Conway’s first-wicket stand of 323, the West Indies’ openers added their century in 116 balls and made sure both have the chance to keep building on Saturday.
New Zealand 575-8d (Conway 227, Latham 137, Ravindra 72 not out; Greaves 2-83)
West Indies 110-0 (King 55 not out, Campbell 45 not out)
New Zealand lead by 465 runs
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.