New Zealand on Saturday finished the third day’s play of the the first Test against the West Indies at the verge of a huge win. At Stumps, West Indies were reeling at 196/6 in their second innings.

The visitors, who were bundled for 138 in the first innings in response to New Zealand’s 519/7, are still 185 runs behind the hosts at the Seddon Park.

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In their second innings, West Indies got off to a very poor start, getting reduced to 27 for four. It seemed like they would become the fifth team in Test history to get bowled out twice in a day in Test cricket.

However, an unbroken seventh-wicket century partnership between Jermaine Blackwood and Alzarri Joseph saw the Windies take the game into the fourth day.

They were down to 89/6 before an unbeaten stand of 107 between Jermaine Blackwood (80*) and Alzarri Joseph (59*) restored some pride in the final session on third day.

West Indies had capitulated for 138 in the first innings as the New Zealand pace attack, led by Tim Southee who got four wickets for 35, did not allow any of the visiting batsmen to reach even 30.

Trent Boult took one for 30 while Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner took two wickets each.

The West Indians had begun well in the first innings with openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell putting on a half-century stand for the first wicket but then they lost three wickets for just two runs. They could never recover from there.

NZ have scored eight wins by more than an innings and 100 runs while their biggest margin of victory by runs was against Sri Lanka in Christchurch in 2018 (423).

Meanwhile, on Friday, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson made his highest Test score of 251, surpassing his previous best of an unbeaten 242 against Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve in January 2015.

Starting the day at 243/2, the hosts lost Ross Taylor early as he went back to the pavillion after adding seven runs to his overnight score of 31. However, the dismissal didn’t have any impact on Williamson who went on to score his 22nd Test hundred.

Brief scores: New Zealand 519/7 declared vs West Indies 138 (T Southee 4/35, K Jamieson 2/25, N Wagner 2/33, T Boult 1/30) and 196/6 (J Blackwood 80*, A Joseph 59*, N Wagner 2/62)