Tim Southee completed a five for early in the morning to close out a 329-run lead
Tea West Indies 131 (Blackwood 69, Southee 5-32, Jamieson 5-34) and (f / o) 158 x 5 (Campbell 68, Blackwood 16 *, Holder 10 *, Jamieson 2-33, Boult 2-49) New Zealand 460 for 171 runs
New Zealand needs five wickets to close out its second consecutive win in innings and strengthen its chances of appearing at the World Test Championship with a total of 120 points from this series. Improving batting conditions and an 89-run tier in the third wicket between John Campbell and Shamarh Brooks were only minor impediments to New Zealand after they caused the West Indies to follow once again, and by tea of the third. day they were at the last recognized hitting of the visitors. pair.
Tim Southee took the last two wickets of the first inning within the first five overs of the day, completing his five-wicket course and finishing with a 329-run lead. There was less sewing movement to work with when the West Indies hit again, but New Zealand’s fast pitchers are used to pitches at home that improve in the second half of test matches.
All four continued to swing the ball even past the 40 plus mark, cleverly varying their lengths and angles to make sure batters didn’t get into rhythm, and they used the short ball for a purpose. Trent Boult got them two early breakthroughs, and after Campbell and Brooks resisted the fast bowlers search test for 23.1 overs, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson broke into the middle order to leave the West Indies down five in the tea, still behind by 171.
More to follow …
Karthik Krishnaswamy is a senior deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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