KEY POINTS:
Tim McIntosh scored a maiden century on Sunday but Fidel Edwards' career-best seven-wicket haul restricted New Zealand's first-innings advantage over the West Indies on the third day of the second test.
McIntosh, playing his third innings and in his second test, batted more than 7 1/2 hours to
make 136, guiding New Zealand to 371 in reply to the West Indies' 307.
The left-handed opener occupied the crease for 107 of the 127 overs which made up New Zealand's innings and had put his team in a commanding position at 316-5 when he was out.
But Edwards bowled superbly to take 7-87 from 29.4 overs as New Zealand's last six wickets fell for 55 runs, giving it an overall lead of only 64 runs. Edwards' haul bettered his previous career-best of 5-36.
West Indies captain Chris Gayle and Sewnarine Chattergoon then smashed 58 runs in an opening partnership which all but wiped out the deficit within 12 overs. Chattergoon was out for 21 and Ramnaresh Sarwan for 1 but Gayle (36) saw the tourists to 62-2 at stumps, leaving the match evenly poised with two days remaining.
McIntosh's lengthy vigil had seemed likely to give New Zealand control of the match. He was 62 and New Zealand was 145-2 when play began Sunday and he continued his feat of concentration to reach his century from 285 balls with 15 fours.
McIntosh had taken almost four hours to reach his half century on the second day but was more assertive on Sunday, when his 100-run partnership with Jesse Ryder (57) guided New Zealand toward a first-innings lead.
When his concentration momentarily lapsed and he was bowled by Jerome Taylor, McIntosh had batted 445 minutes, had faced 337 balls and had hit 21 boundaries. His effort had provided the framework for New Zealand's innings and when he was out the innings crumbled and hopes of a commanding lead perished.
McIntosh, Brendon McCullum (31) and James Franklin (0) were out within the space of three runs as Edwards, with support from Taylor and Daren Powell, raced through the New Zealand tail.
Powell at one point lost his temper and was called for throwing a delivery at McCullum. Batsman and bowler exchanged frank views in the middle of the pitch before Powell regained his composure and continued his over.
Daniel Vettori made 29 in an important contribution to New Zealand's total and lead. In doing so, he passed 3,000 runs in test matches and joined a select group of 11 all-rounders to have surpassed 3,000 runs and 200 wickets in tests.
The New Zealand captain needs only 16 more wickets to join a more exclusive group with 3,000 runs and 300 wickets.
Gayle hit two fours and two sixes in a cavalier innings which slashed the New Zealand lead. With Chattergoon, he took 33 runs from the first four overs from Iain O'Brien who had been New Zealand's bowling hero with six wickets in the first innings.
Spinners Jeetan Patel and Vettori curbed the scoring and removed Chattergoon and Sarwan. Sarwan fell lbw to Vettori, the decision being made by the television umpire after he had initially been ruled not out by umpire Rudi Koertzen.
- AP
