Sport
Associated Press

Black Caps: West Indies 99-2 at lunch on day one in Wellington

1:55pm
West Indies' John Campbell bats against New Zealand on Day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, December 5, 2025.

A quick double strike by Blair Tickner allowed New Zealand to slow the West Indies' comfortable progress toward lunch Wednesday on the first day of the second cricket Test.

The West Indies reached 66-0 after being sent in when Tickner dismissed Brandon King and Kavem Hodge in the space of two overs.

The teams played to a draw in the series opener at Christchurch.

Until the intervention of Tickner, who bowled second change, New Zealand's decision to bowl on winning the toss had begun to look unwise as King and John Campbell produced the West Indies' highest opening partnership in 21 innings.

At lunch the tourists were 92-2 with John Campbell 44 not out and Shai Hope 8.

New Zealand captain Tom Latham's decision to bowl on winning the toss was understandable but possibly not well considered. The pitch at the Basin Reserve presented bright green and an opening batter such as Latham would naturally hesitate to bat first.

But the average score in tests of teams which recently have chosen to bat first at the Wellington stadium is around 340 and four of the last five tests at the ground have been won by the team batting first.

The New Zealand pace attack is severely depleted by the recent injuries to Matt Henry and Nathan Smith and the continuing unavailability of Will O'Rourke, Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson.

New Zealand's attack in this match comprises Will O'Rourke and Zak Foulkes, both playing their third test, Michael Rae on debut and Tickner in just his fourth test.

Duffy and Foulkes shared the new ball, though Duffy bowled 43 and Foulkes bowled 33 overs in the second innings of the drawn first test which ended only three days ago.

The pitch proved much more docile than it appeared with no real pace or sharp bounce and anything short was punished. When the ball found the edge of the bat, it tended to die before reaching the slips. King's superb off-drive for four off Duffy showed the fate of any half volley and he hit a six and a four from the Rae's first over in test cricket.

Tickner dismissed both King (33) and Hodge (0) with balls which were short of a good length but were not clearing the stumps.

Campbell made 1 and 15 in the first test but looked in good touch Wednesday, hitting six boundaries.

Hope made a half century in the first innings and a century in the second innings of the first test while suffering from an eye infection but has fully recovered.

SHARE ME

More Stories