Black Caps captain Kane Williamson after winning the series 2-0. Photo / Photosport.co/nz
Black Caps captain Kane Williamson after winning the series 2-0. Photo / Photosport.co/nz
Fancy four-day tests? Look no further than Seddon Park over the last, er, four days.
New Zealand's 240-run victory with four sessions to spare to wrap up the two-test series against the West Indies was a good example of what might be expected if the International Cricket Council decides intime to trim a day off tests.
The match seemed to progress rapidly to the point where the team batting third were able to declare their second innings an hour before stumps on day three.
No two tests are the same but proponents of four-day matches will look at Seddon Park and figure that's what is possible.
The quality was variable at times but it was entertaining, and 38 wickets fell in 310.4 overs. Both captains agreed the 10th wicket stand of 61 between last pair Tim Southee and Trent Boult in New Zealand's first innings on the second morning had a major bearing on the outcome.
That carried New Zealand from a reasonable 312 for nine to an imposing – especially for a team sent in – 373.
"I thought that was a crucial part,'' West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said.
''Obviously that gave them a fair bit of momentum to go into when they bowled. I know they took that momentum into the field.''
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was delighted.
''Lower order runs are so valuable,'' he said.
'' As a fielding unit, when you see they're nine down you certainly aren't banking on them putting on 50 that's for sure.
''You're getting ready to bat. That was a big partnership for us.''
Trent Boult celebrates the wicket of Cummins. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
It also followed on from a 78-run unbroken 10th-wicket stand in the first test at the Basin Reserve between Boult and wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.
Blundell got to a maiden century on debut, 107 not out, Boult was left on 18, giving him 55 runs without being out in the series.
''Our lower order has contributed nicely in this series,'' Williamson said.
Williamson will sit out games two and three in the ODI series starting in Whangarei next week. It's not something that comes naturally to him, whether he's captain or not.
"I always find it fairly tough to miss some games, but it has a purpose, and it'll be nice to try and relax for a few days,'' he said.
