Windies suffer worst Test defeat against Kiwis

Rajitha Ratwatte in Hamilton

In reality it was a matter of time before the inevitable defeat overtook the West Indians, but cricket has its glorious uncertainties and the true cricket lover is a romantic at heart. The two youngsters batting for the Windies continued their good work albeit under much easier batting conditions and on a much browner batting surface.

Ross Taylor dropped what can only be called a sitter at first slip off the hard working Tim Southee. Jermaine Blackwood flashed once too often but Taylor was caught off balance and couldn’t hang on to a chest high catch that came straight at him. A stand of 155 runs for the seventh wicket between him and Alzarri Joseph enabled the Windies to lose with dignity. Joseph, a 24-year-old from Antigua is turning out to be a reliable all-rounder.

The breakthrough came after just over an hour of play when Joseph seemed to suffer a rush of blood and hit one in the air into the vacant wide mid-off area and Kane Williamson almost made it into a brilliant catch. The bowler was Jamieson and he didn’t have long to wait as the very next ball was slashed at outside off stump and was snatched up by Mitchell Santner who was on as a substitute. He was at covers. It’s a pity that Joseph couldn’t find the patience to post a hundred. His 86 came off 125 balls.

They say if one player gets out in a big partnership, the other follows shortly. This certainly was the case and Blackwood gloved an attempted hook shot off Wagner to Southee at backward square leg. Blackwood added 104 runs to the total.

Only one more wicket was needed as the wicketkeeper was taking no further part in the match due to a finger injury.

West Indies were all out fir 247 and the Kiwis securing victory by an innings and 134 runs inside four days. This is New Zealand’s biggest win over West Indies in Test cricket.