Taylor’s maiden century leads West Indies fightback

DUNEDIN (New Zealand), Dec 14: Defiant West Indies tail-ender Jerome Taylor scored a maiden century on the fourth day of a rain-shortened first Test here on Sunday to virtually extinguish New Zealand’s slim hopes of victory.

The West Indies finished with 340 in reply to New Zealand’s 365 and the home side were 44 for two in their second innings at the close after Daren Powell took two late wickets with consecutive balls.

Taylor finished with a quickfire 106 in a 173-run partnership with Shivnarine Chanderpaul before being dismissed by New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori, who destroyed the rest of the tail to end with six for 56.

Scoring at a run a ball, Taylor hit the bowlers all over University Oval to belie his previous highest Test score of 31 and an average of 13.66 from 33 innings.

The opening bowler hit 17 fours and three sixes in his innings before edging left arm spinner Vettori to wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum.

“I’m the sort of player who likes to express myself in the middle regardless of the situation. I don’t think one should try to change their natural game,” Taylor said later.

“Batting with Shivnarine Chanderpaul also gave me a lot of confidence to really go out and express myself.”

The New Zealand captain had praise for the aggression of his side’s tormentor.

“It was a fantastic innings. He was positive and tried to do all the things a batsman should,” Vettori said.

After finally getting Taylor’s scalp Vettori trapped Powell with his next ball and in his next over substitute fielder Sean Eathorne took a brilliant diving catch at long off to give the skipper his fifth wicket.

Chanderpaul was Vettori’s last victim, bowled for a patient 76 from 198 balls after playing the anchor role.

Pace bowler Kyle Mills, only brought into the side at the last moment to replace injured all-rounder Jacob Oram, did most of the damage to the top order, finishing with three for 64.

New Zealand fancied their chances of a big first innings lead before Chanderpaul and Taylor came together when the West Indies were looking fragile at 173 for six.

Their partnership swung the momentum back the West Indies’ way, although there is only the slimmest chance of a result on Monday after the loss of the second day and Saturday’s first session because of rain.

Captain Chris Gayle did the early damage for the West Indies, appearing on track for his first Test century since 2005 before falling on 74 after attempting a rash pull shot off pace bowler Iain O’Brien.

The ball skied to fine leg, where James Franklin made a straightforward catch to end Gayle’s dashing 103-ball innings, which included 11 fours and one six.

The experimental video referral system was a centre of attention again, with third umpire Rudi Koertzen overturning Amish Saheba’s decision to turn down an appeal against Xavier Marshall for a bat-pad catch off Vettori’s bowling.

The two-match series is being used for only the second time in Tests to trial the experimental rule where both sides can request a video review of umpires’ decisions.

The first challenge by a batsman in the Test came from Denesh Ramdin, who asked for a review after being given out lbw to Vettori for five. Replays suggested the ball was close to missing leg stump but the dismissal was upheld.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings) 365 (D.R. Flynn 95, J.D. Ryder 89).

WEST INDIES (1st Innings, overnight 39-0):

C.H. Gayle c Franklin b O’Brien 74

S. Chattergoon c O’Brien b Mills 13

R.R. Sarwan c McCullum b Mills 8

X.M. Marshall c Ryder b Vettori 20

S. Chanderpaul b Vettori 76

B.P. Nash c Ryder b Mills 23

D. Ramdin lbw Vettori 5

J.E. Taylor c McCullum b Vettori 106

D.B.L. Powell lbw Vettori 0