Southee, Boult push WI back

Hamilton, December 10 

Tim Southee and Trent Boult took centre stage with bat and ball as New Zealand seized command on a rain-affected Day 2 of the second Test against West Indies here today. They shared a 61-run last wicket stand to get New Zealand up to 373, and then took four wickets between them on a benign pitch as the visitors plummeted to 215/8 at stumps. 

Southee, unavailable for the first Test, capped his day with a stunning catch to remove Kraigg Brathwaite, West Indies' top scorer with 66. The 6ft 4in Southee leapt to get a hand to block an edge off Colin de Grandhomme, and then dived to get a hand under the ball just as it was about to hit the ground. 

Play was interrupted for nearly 90 minutes by rain when West Indies were 87/2 with Brathwaite and Shai Hope laying the foundations for a solid partnership. But when play resumed, 20 minutes after the scheduled tea break, Hope lasted only six more balls, putting the tourists into a tailspin that saw six wickets fall in the final session. 

Among them was Sunil Ambris, out for two when he stepped back on to his stumps for the second time in only his third Test innings. Bowler Boult shook his head and said "unbelievable" as Ambris hung his head and trudged back to the pavilion.

Brief scores: New Zealand 373 (Raval 84, de Grandhomme 58, Gabriel 4/119); West Indies 215/8 (Brathwaite 66, Southee 2/34) — AFP