NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Kemar Roach grabbed two wickets before lunch to keep the balance of power with West Indies in the first Digicel Test against New Zealand on Sunday here.
The Windies striker bowler has so far taken 3-47 from 18 overs, as the New Zealanders reached 225 in their second innings – a lead of 54 – at lunch on the final day.
The Caribbean side were frustrated, after the Black Caps resumed from their overnight total of 199 for three and encountered few or no terrors, reaching 217 for three with their captain Ross Taylor on 21 and left-handed night-watchman Neil Wagner on 11.
Rain swept across the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and stopped play about 40 minutes after the start, offering West Indies 20 minutes to regroup.
Roach made the breakthrough almost immediately, when Taylor got a well-pitched, second delivery following the stoppage – which moved back sharply – and was a palpable lbw victim. He made 21.
Roach struck again with the first delivery of his next over, when he bowled Kane Williamson for a one-ball duck, extracting the off-stump in spectacular fashion with another well-pitched delivery that moved back, wobbling New Zealand on 217 for five.
But West Indies failed to make further inroads, as Doug Brownlie, not out on five, and Wagner, not out on 13, resisted for the remainder of the session.