WELLINGTON, New Zealand // New Zealand won the second Test against the West Indies by an innings and 73 runs on Friday, completing the victory inside three days and with paceman Trent Boult taking match figures of 10 for 80.
The Black Caps took 16 wickets in a little over two sessions on Friday as the West Indies were bowled out for 193 then 175 in reply to New Zealand’s first innings of 441.
It was New Zealand’s first Test win in 12 months, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. It was also their first win in 11 Tests with Brendon McCullum as captain.
Boult took a career-best 6 for 40 in the first innings, including a spell of 5 for 15 in six overs of the morning session, and followed up with 4 for 40 in the second.
The loss was the West Indies’ third by an innings in their last four Tests after their two innings defeats by India in November. The first Test of this series was drawn when rain halted play with New Zealand needing 33 runs to win.
“We had to work incredibly hard and, after losing the toss as well, we were on the back foot from the start. We saw some guys step up and perform well – Ross Taylor with the bat and Boult and the other seamers were outstanding.”
“These performances in the last two Test matches have been excellent and we’ve been led by Ross Taylor with the bat,” McCullum said. “He’s in sublime form ... and our bowling unit is that strong in our conditions and when there’s a little bit in the wicket we see these guys really stand up and deliver.”
Kirk Edwards (35) and Kieran Powell (36) shared a 74-run stand at the start of the second innings which might have briefly caused McCullum to question his decision to enforce the follow on.
Tim Southee then removed both openers within the space of one run and Samuels for 12 while Neil Wagner dismissed first Test double century-maker Darren Bravo for a duck as the tourists crumbled to 94 for 4.
Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul tried to marshall some resistance, batting two hours for an unbeaten 31. But from 145 for 5, the West Indies’ lower order again capitulated and they lost their last five wickets for 30 runs. Chanderpaul found little support until Tino Best, at No 10, produced a bright but futile late cameo, dashing 21 from 18 balls.
“Boult bowled really well and again we have a lot to learn from the opposition,” West Indies captain Darren Sammy said. “We won the toss and bowled first but we just didn’t exploit the conditions.
“We didn’t bowl well, we didn’t bat well and that’s the reason why we’re 1-0 down in the series.”
Boult’s outstanding bowling performance at the start of the third day – promoted by warm and overcast conditions that allowed the ball to swing – set the tone. At one stage he took four wickets with six balls, clean bowling three players in the space of four deliveries.
“Ten wickets in a Test match is something very special to me and I’m very happy,” Boult said.
“We were close to winning last week with our effort in Dunedin. To come here and perform as we did and to really back up that performance I reckon was brilliant.”
The West Indies resumed the day at 184 for 4 in their first innings. Boult first had Narsingh Deonarine (22) caught by Ross Taylor at slip, then removed Marlon Samuels caught behind for 60 and Sammy, Shane Shillingford and Best who were all bowled without scoring.
McCullum again decided to enforce the follow on, despite being criticised by some for doing so in the opening Test of the series where the West Indies batted strongly in the second innings against tired bowlers on a flattening pitch and forced a draw.
This time his bowlers were fresh – Boult and Southee had bowled only 12.5 overs between them in the first session – and the pitch and atmospheric conditions at the Basin Reserve still favoured the bowling side.
While Edwards and Powell’s opening stand hinted at another second-innings resistance akin to the first Test, the rapid removal of the pair, plus first-Test double centurion Darren Bravo precipitated a quick finish.