Cricket: Black Caps seal first Caribbean test win

9.00am

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - New Zealand's cricket team achieved what three previous touring sides couldn't as they jubilantly celebrated their first test victory in the West Indies today.

After an average start to the fourth day, New Zealand bowled out the home side for 269 in their chase for an unlikely 474 to claim a win by 204 runs with more than a day to spare.

It was the 12th Caribbean test between the two sides and was just the West Indies' fourth loss in 70 years at the historic Kensington Oval.

The tourists were led by key strike bowlers Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori who took eight wickets between them, with Bond ending with his best figures of five for 78 in his fifth test. Vettori bagged seven wickets in the match.

The only stumbling block as New Zealand closed in on a win was Brian Lara who dominated the strike as wickets tumbled around him, but Bond removed him for 73 with the second new ball when he shattered his stumps.

Lara's was the ninth wicket to fall after batting just over three hours, facing 131 balls and hitting 11 fours and a towering straight six off Vettori.

No 11 Mervyn Dillon went very next ball to a Lou Vincent catch in the gully as New Zealand finished off the win with 10 overs left in the day.

It was New Zealand's third consecutive test win over the West Indies after their 2-0 clean sweep at home two years ago.

Captain Stephen Fleming set up the win with a superb 130 on day one in difficult batting conditions before New Zealand claimed a first innings lead of 230.

The West Indies started today on five without loss and throughout the first session looked on target as openers Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds took to the New Zealand pace attack.

The pair added 68 in 19 overs for the first wicket before Vettori struck with just his third ball, removing Hinds for 37 to a bat-pad catch.

The home side though went to lunch on a healthy 107 for one as New Zealand's pacemen failed to consistently get it right.

Bond, in his first test in six months, then made the key breakthroughs to set New Zealand on their victory path. He removed youngster Ramnaresh Sarwan for 18 when he skied an ambitious pull shot, then six overs later claimed the big wicket of the in-form Gayle.

After an entertaining innings of 73 in just under three hours, Gayle was beaten by Bond's pace and given leg before by South African umpire Rudi Koertzen.

The key wicket was all too soft for the tourists when captain Carl Hooper, on 16, played a weak cut shot at Daryl Tuffey and edged a catch to Stephen Fleming at first slip to make it 179 for four.

The West Indies' last hopes were left-handed duo Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul who took them to the tea break, but the resistance didn't last long.

Five overs into the final session Chanderpaul, on 17, advanced on Vettori who fooled him with a drifting arm ball and he edged a catch to Fleming at slip. At 204 for five it was a matter of time with only Lara left.

The last recognised batsman Ridley Jacobs decided to attack Vettori and was removed by a sublime outfield catch by Nathan Astle, who ran back from mid-wicket and dived 20m away. Despite Lara's efforts to farm the strike, the tail folded quickly.

Scoreboard:

New Zealand

First innings 337

Second innings 243


West Indies

First innings 107

Second innings (5-1 overnight)


C Gayle lbw b Bond 73

W Hinds c Richardson b Vettori 37

R Sarwan c Vettori b Bond 18

B Lara b Bond 73

C Hooper c Fleming b Tuffey 16

S Chanderpaul c Fleming b Vettori 17

R Jacobs c Astle b Vettori 6

D Powell c Astle b Butler 2

P Collins lbw b Bond 8

A Sanford not out 0

M Dillon c Vincent b Bond 0

Extras (5b, 11lb, 1nb, 2w) 19

Total (83 overs) 269

Fall: 68 (Hinds), 133 (Sarwan), 142 (Gayle), 179 (Hooper), 204 (Chanderpaul), 216 (Jacobs), 222 (Powell), 252 (Collins), 269 (Lara), 269 (Dillon)

Bowling: S Bond 21 overs 7 maidens 78 runs 5 wickets, D Tuffey 15-5-43-1 (2w), I Butler 14-0-58-1 (1nb), D Vettori 19-3-53-3, N Astle 5-4-4-0, C Harris 9-3-17-0


Result: New Zealand won by 204 runs, lead two-match series 1-0


Man of the match: Stephen Fleming


- NZPA