KEY POINTS:
New Zealand expended plenty of sweat yesterday, and although things didn't go as smoothly as planned, they will still fancy their chances of victory when the second test against the West Indies concludes today.
The West Indies will start at 278 for seven, an overall lead of 214
on a comfortable McLean Park batting strip.
The day belonged to the tourists, and particularly captain Chris Gayle, whose monumental day-long vigil over 7h 13m for an unbeaten 146 was outstanding. Because of him, the West Indies are very much alive.
Patience and discipline are not words which automatically leap to mind when the tall Jamaican lefthander is at the crease. But they rang true yesterday when he eschewed his natural instincts for long periods and to good effect.
It was his ninth test hundred and first for 25 tests, when he hit 317 against South Africa at Antigua in 2005.
Gayle admitted to some adjustments from his usual stand-and-deliver power play.
"I played a patient role, let them come to me as much as possible," he said last night.
He believes another 50 runs will be necessary today with only three tailenders for company.
"If we get past that it will be a bonus. The wicket is still good to bat on. It's going to be a long, hard day tomorrow. But if we can knock a few of them over early, then we can set them on the back foot."
And yet despite Gayle's heroics, New Zealand must still rate today a big opportunity of a first test win at McLean Park in seven attempts, provided they whistle through the West Indies tail smartly
"We're well and truly in the game and if we can restrict the Windies to a 250-260 lead we'll definitely back ourselves to chase it," allrounder James Franklin said last night.
At the risk of tempting fate, the West Indies bowling does not look like having the teeth to take 10 wickets inside a day.
In Napier, the West Indies have leaned heavily on two partnerships, and the common denominator is the little Australian-born and raised Brendon Nash.
He shared 163 runs for the fifth wicket with Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the first innings and followed up with a 65 in putting on 124 with Gayle yesterday, carrying the tourists from a dodgy 106 for four to 230 for five.
Nash punched hard off the back foot and worked the ball cleverly through the onside. He clearly possesses "ticker" and the reward was a big rap from Gayle - "he played brilliantly".
Early on Gayle lost Xavier Marshall and - shock, horror - the limpet-like Chanderpaul, the latter to a first ball full toss which, in a serious brain freeze moment, he chipped back to offspinner Jeetan Patel.
Gayle drove thunderously down the ground and clubbed four sixes during the day which had a few curiosities. For example, there were only 29 scoring shots in the morning - but 13 went to, or over, the fence.
New Zealand's bowlers worked overtime. They had used up two of their three strikes on the umpiring challenge system in the opening 45 minutes, and both were good decisions.
Captain Dan Vettori went wicketless in 37 overs yesterday. James Franklin wasn't introduced until 40 minutes after lunch; Kyle Mills had to wait an extra half hour and only bowled four in the day, as Vettori put his trust primarily in Patel, Iain O'Brien and himself. That trio toiled through 81 of the 97 overs in the day.
But Gayle had all the answers, after a run out scare on 99, going to his hundred in 189 balls, having just gone past 5000 test runs along the way.
Once Nash departed - a sharp piece of bowling from Franklin - things got a bit wobbly. Denesh Ramdin played a dopey shot to be caught at point and Jerome Taylor went lbw to the hardworking O'Brien.
New Zealand will just hope they don't rue Jamie How dropping a straightforward edge at second slip off Fidel Edwards just before the end.
