Wellington, Dec 11 (IANS) 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.

New Zealand’s innings started poorly. Tom Latham’s off stump was knocked out by a sharp nip-back from Roach, and Kane Williamson was dismissed by Phillip, whose late-straightening delivery beat his defence.

After lunch, Roach got Rachin Ravindra caught fishing at a wide one, while Conway was caught leg side off a poor delivery from Justin Greaves, courtesy of Tevin Imlach’s athletic diving catch. At 117 for 4, New Zealand remained vulnerable.

Hay and Daryl Mitchell steadied the innings with a 73-run stand, only for West Indies to break through soon. Hay miscued a pull shot in the fourth over of the session, and Glenn Phillips, after an adventurous cameo worth 18, slogged one into the hands of Philip.

The tail, however, proved stubborn as Jacob Duffy, Zakary Foulkes and Michael Rae chipped in valuable runs to stretch the lead before Seales finally ended the innings by removing Rae.

With Blair Tickner unavailable due to injury, New Zealand declared upon losing their ninth wicket.

By stumps, New Zealand quicks had already repaid those late-order runs, striking twice to leave the West Indies 32 for 2 in their second innings.

Brief Scores: West Indies 205/10 and 32/2 in 10 overs (Brandon King 15*, John Campbell 14; Michael Rae 1-4, Jacob Duffy 1-8) trail New Zealand 278/9d in 74.4 overs (Mitchell Hay 61, Devon Conway 60; Anderson Phillip 3-70, Kemar Roach 2-43) by 41 runs

–IANS

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