King and Campbell give West Indies solid reply to New Zealand’s mammoth total

Brandon King drives down the ground (Getty Images)

West Indies 110 for 0 (King 55*, Campbell 45*) trail New Zealand 575 for 8 dec (Conway 227, Latham 137, Ravindra 72*, Greaves 2–83) by 465 runs

Devon Conway brought up a double century and pushed New Zealand into such a dominant position in Mount Maunganui that they may have overdone it.

With their fifth-highest Test total at home — 575 for 8 declared — behind them, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes and Michael Rae ran in expecting wickets to tumble. Instead, they bowled far too full and were punished accordingly, meaning both teams have now effectively wasted the new ball on a green pitch.

West Indies flew out of the blocks, racing to 88 in 15 overs, with 13 fours in that period — not including ten wides. Brandon King and John Campbell did not bat like men burdened by 155 overs in the field or a 500-plus deficit. They played late, stayed straight and were alert enough to capitalise on an overzealous New Zealand attack.

West Indies go into the third day still trailing by 465, but in games like these the scoreboard can be deceptive. You put your head down and keep going — which is exactly what King and Campbell did to register their first century partnership as an opening pair, and only the sixth for West Indies in the last 11 years. King even found time to bring up a half-century, his second in Test cricket.

There were similar treats on offer on day one, only then New Zealand were the beneficiaries. Twenty-four hours later, the visitors found their discipline with the ball. Justin Greaves set up Kane Williamson beautifully, dismissing one of the world’s best batters for just 31, while Roston Chase bowled 25 overs unchanged from morning drinks to cover for the loss of Kemar Roach to a hamstring injury.

Shai Hope is a more pressing concern. He spent the entire day unwell at the hotel and may not be able to bat at his usual No. 4 position. Ojay Shields and Tagenarine Chanderpaul were also carrying niggles, so when Greaves had to step away briefly during the second session, West Indies were left without substitutes and had to enlist local Tauranga teenager Sebastian Heath, a 19-year-old also registered with the Denmark cricket team, as a fielder.

Given these handicaps, the seven wickets West Indies claimed on Friday, followed by their composure with the bat and the fact that their main run-scoring resources remain intact for when the pitch flattens out, were unlikely but hard-earned outcomes.

Greaves may have signalled that shift with his dismissal of Williamson. He beat the outside edge several times, the batter struggling to adjust to the pace of his home ground. With pressure built, Greaves dangled the bait wide outside off stump and Williamson could not resist. He threw his head back — but dared not look — when he heard the nick through to the keeper. This was what West Indies lacked on day one, when Conway and Tom Latham cruised to 323 without loss: the ability to hold a line and length and build pressure towards a wicket.

West Indies allowed only one batter to score more than fifty on day two, with Rachin Ravindra making 72 not out — a far more fitting outcome given the conditions. Balls pitched on a good length continued to misbehave. Jayden Seales, hitting that area against Conway as he closed in on his double century, had the batter recoiling as deliveries kicked up alarmingly.

Conway’s eventual dismissal for 227 came from another ball that nipped in and stayed low, trapping him lbw. There remains assistance for the bowlers, but the margin for error is slim. When lengths stray outside the six-metre mark, the increasingly quickening pitch makes hitting through the line far easier.

Conway was tiring by the end of his 508-minute innings, and West Indies’ bowlers were right with him. Seales fired himself up for a duel with Daryl Mitchell and was so emotional that his frustration was picked up on the stump microphone when Greaves dropped a straightforward chance at second slip in the 127th over. Seales has six wickets at an average of 50.33 on this tour — he has bowled better than those figures suggest.

Day three will present new challenges. Chase’s off-breaks were already finding grip, turn and bounce. Ajaz Patel will also have a significant role to play, and this match remains intriguingly poised — not least because it is the first in New Zealand’s history to feature two century opening stands in the first innings. (ESPNcricinfo)