An unbeaten century by the impenetrable Shivnarine Chanderpaul rescued the West Indies from a disastrous start to the second cricket Test against New Zealand on Friday.
At stumps the West Indies were 258-6 as Chanderpaul, assisted by Brendon Nash, engineered a remarkable fightback after their top order had crumbled to 63-4 on a flat, batsmen-friendly McLean Park wicket.
Overall, New Zealand could claim the honours of the day after losing the toss and fighting back to take six wickets when the conditions were against the bowlers.
But the star of the show was undoubtedly Chanderpaul, who lived up to his billing as the world cricketer of the year as he and Nash staged a 163-run stand for the fifth wicket.
They came together just before lunch and remained at the crease until five overs from the close of play before Nash’s gallant stand came to an end.
But Chanderpaul, in his 114th Test, remained rock-solid at the other end as he ended the day unbeaten on 100, his 20th Test-century.
Jerome Taylor, who scored his maiden Test century in the drawn first Test last week, was on one.
Captain Chris Gayle had no hesitation in batting first when he won the toss and the West Indies moved briskly to 43 before running into trouble.
Gayle was the first to fall, edging Iain O’Brien to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, starting a slide that saw the West Indies lose four wickets for 31 runs in 16 overs.
With New Zealand in control in the opening session, spectators had the rare sight of an off-spinner bowling on the opening morning of a Test with two slips, a silly point and a forward short leg.
It was a tactic that paid dividends when Ramnaresh Sarwan, on 11, nicked Jeetan Patel straight to McCullum.
O’Brien then struck again when Xavier Marshall edged to Jesse Ryder at third slip and was out for six.
Opener Sewnarine Chattergoon laboured to 13 runs in 115 minutes at the crease before he fell just before lunch to a spectacular reflex catch by Jamie How.
The opener hit out at a floated Daniel Vettori delivery and How, just a few metres from the bat at second slip, flung an arm in the air to take the ball.
The veteran Chanderpaul and the novice Nash then set about rebuilding the innings and were rarely troubled by the New Zealand attack.
Chanderpaul had one heart-stopping moment on 28 when New Zealand challenged a failed leg before wicket appeal from Kyle Mills but third umpire Mark Benson backed the original ruling that the ball would have cleared the stumps.
The left-hander was untroubled from then and his century included three sixes, two off Vettori, and nine fours.
Nash, with a confidence that belied his limited international experience, cruised to 74 before mistiming a drive off James Franklin and the ball ballooned to Daniel Flynn at short cover.
O’Brien and Vettori were the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with two wickets apiece while Patel and Franklin claimed one each.
The inclusion of Patel for fast bowler Mark Gillespie is the only change to the New Zealand side from the first Test.
The West Indies also made one change to their line-up, bringing in left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn for pace bowler Lionel Baker. — AFP
