WELLINGTON: New Zealand strengthened their hold on the ongoing second Test against the West Indies here at the Basin Reserve, thanks to the composed half-centuries by Devon Conway and debutant Mitchell Hay before their seamers undermined the West Indies' response.
The hosts built a 73-run lead after being bowled out for 278, then took two wickets with the new ball to leave West Indies 41 runs behind with eight wickets still in hand at stumps.
As New Zealand resumed from the overnight score of 24/0, the West Indies quicks troubled the hosts throughout the innings. Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Ojay Shields, and Anderson Phillip all found swing and seam, repeatedly forcing defensive errors. Loose strokes from New Zealand’s batters only added to the pressure.
But Conway anchored the innings with a composed 60, his first fifty against the Caribbean side, punishing anything short or wide with crisp cuts and flicks among his eight boundaries. Hay, debuting at No. 6, added a composed 61, helping New Zealand rebuild after a mid-session stumble.