Hay, Conway fifties and late strikes keep NZ in control

The Basin Reserve Test raced forward on Day 2 as West Indies lost two early wickets in their third innings, still trailing by 41. This came after New Zealand carved out a 73-run first-innings lead, built on half-centuries from debutant Mitchell Hay and Devon Conway and crucial lower-order runs.

New Zealand resumed in control after bowling West Indies out for 205 on Day 1, but the visitors struck early. Kemar Roach, sharp from the outset, removed Tom Latham in the fifth over of the morning with a full ball that seamed in and hit the top of off. That would be Roach and Jayden Seales' only breakthrough in an otherwise excellent new-ball spell. Seales should have had Conway on 28, but Brandon King put down a chance at leg-slip in a well-set trap. Kane Williamson got going immediately, driving his third ball for four and then taking two more boundaries off Seales as he and Conway stitched together a brisk 67-run stand.

Boundaries flowed through the first session until Anderson Phillip produced arguably the ball of the day, castling Williamson on the stroke of Lunch. The New Zealand great, on 37 off 45 with seven fours, was rooted to the crease as a length ball straightened, beat the outside edge and clipped off stump. Still, it was New Zealand's session: Conway reached a half-century and the deficit shrank to double digits.

West Indies hit back after Lunch. Roach struck in the first over, drawing Rachin Ravindra into a drive and finding the edge. Conway departed in the next over, eventually falling to the leg trap for 60. Debutant Hay and Daryl Mitchell then steadied the innings with a solid 73-run stand, dominated by Hay's positive strokeplay. The keeper-bat used his feet well, punished anything loose, and hit nine fours and a six en route to a maiden Test fifty.

West Indies struck again just before Tea when Mitchell fell to another leg-side ball for 25 after a review. Hay's dismissal for 61 early in the final session left New Zealand six down and only eight runs ahead, but the visitors couldn't close out the innings quickly enough. The final four wickets added 65 crucial runs, with Zakary Foulkes contributing an unbeaten 23, before New Zealand finished nine down with the injured Blair Tickner unable to bat.

Those tail-end runs hurt West Indies further as they had to navigate 10 tricky overs before Stumps. John Campbell began brightly, striking three fours off a Foulkes over, with King adding two more boundaries off the seamer's next. Michael Rae, expensive in his first spell in the first innings, found his rhythm quickly the second time around and bowled Campbell with a delivery the opener shouldered arms to. West Indies sent in a night-hawk, but after his three-wicket burst earlier, Phillip couldn't survive the evening and was adjudged LBW on review by Jacob Duffy and captain Latham.

Brief scores: West Indies 205 & 32/2 (Jacob Duffy 1-8, Michael Rae 1-4) trail New Zealand 278/9 (Mitchell Hay 61, Devon Conway 60; Anderson Phillip 3-70) by 41 runs