PORT-OF-SPAIN: Kirk Edwards hit a boundary-studded 55 and Kraigg Brathwaite compiled an assured, unbeaten 48 as the West Indies reached 124-3 in reply to New Zealand’s 221 by lunch on the second day of the second Test here on Tuesday.

The pair shared an enterprising third-wicket stand of 93 to dull New Zealand after they claimed an early wicket at Queen’s Park Oval.

Edwards blasted seven fours and three sixes off 64 balls. Brathwaite struck five boundaries off 96 deliveries.

The West Indies, resuming on 6-1, lost nightwatchman Sulieman Benn for 4 in the day’s fifth over after a frenetic start. The lanky left-hander successfully reviewed an earlier lbw decision against Tim Southee before he was castled by the same bowler an over later.

On Monday fast bowler Jerome Taylor, revelling in his return to the Test arena after a nearly five-year absence, made up for lost time with a devastating spell.

The 29-year-old, who made an early breakthrough when he dismissed opener Hamish Rutherford, returned to rip through the New Zealand middle order.

He claimed the scalps of Jimmy Neesham (15) as well as B.J. Watling and Ish Sodhi, both for ducks, to trigger a New Zealand batting collapse and finish with 4-34 in his second Test since 2009, having been recalled for the first Test last week.

The visitors, comfortable winners of the series opener in Kingston, were cruising at 120-1 when the wheels suddenly fell off. They lost their last nine wickets for just 101 runs to be all out for 221 late in the final session when a much bigger score beckoned.

Opener Tom Latham top scored with a patient 82 off 163 balls to register his third half-century in as many innings.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings):

T.W.M. Latham c Benn b Roach 82

H.D. Rutherford c Gayle b Taylor 3

K.S. Williamson c sub b Gabriel 42

L.R.P.L. Taylor not out 45

B.B. McCullum lbw b Benn 4

J.D.S. Neesham c Gayle b Taylor 15

B.J. Watling c Ramdin b Taylor 0

I.S. Sodhi c Gayle b Taylor 0

T.G. Southee lbw b Benn 10

M.D. Craig c Bravo b Gabriel 4

T.A. Boult lbw b Benn 1

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-6, W-2, NB-3) 15

TOTAL (all out, 74.4 overs) 221

FALL OF WKTS: 1-16, 2-120, 3-146, 4-161, 5-192, 6-198, 7-199, 8-210, 9-215.

BOWLING: Taylor 17-5-34-4 (1nb, 1w); Roach 17-1-61-1; Gabriel 12-2-43-2 (2nb, 1w); Benn 28.4-6-73-3.

WEST INDIES (1st Innings, overnight 6-1):

C.H. Gayle b Boult 1

K.C. Brathwaite not out 48

S.J. Benn b Southee 4

K.A. Edwards c Watling b Sodhi 55

D.M. Bravo not out 10

TOTAL (for three wkts, 34 overs) 124

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-16, 3-109.

TO BAT: S. Chanderpaul, J. Blackwood, D. Ramdin, K.A.J. Roach, J.E. Taylor, S.T. Gabriel.

BOWLING (to-date): Boult 12-4-16-1 (1w); Southee 9-3-17-0; Craig 7-1-43-0; Neesham 4-0-28-0; Sodhi 2-0-15-1.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2014