KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Marlon Samuels defied a dropped chance and the “distraction” of the women’s Olympic 100 metres final being shown in the ground to score a pivotal 52 that fortified West Indies’ bid for a series-clinching victory over New Zealand in the second Test here yesterday.
The hometown hero, a century-maker in the first innings, struck seven fours from 103 balls in 157 minutes, after he was dropped early in his innings, as the Windies reached 135 for four in their second innings – still 71 runs adrift of victory – at the close on the third day – and with an eye on the weather as Tropical Storm Ernesto approaches the island.
Samuels put on 74 for the third wicket with Assad Fudadin to stabilise the innings, after the Caribbean side made a shaky start to the chase, when left-handed openers Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell were dismissed cheaply.
Both Samuels and Fudadin fell in the final session, after play came to a standstill to allow the viewing of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s historic victory in the women’s 100 final in London on the Sabina Park electronic scoreboard in the ground
It left veteran left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul, not out on 20, and night-watchman Kemar Roach, not out on 10, to bat through the final five overs of the day.
This followed disciplined bowling from West Indies – led by Narsingh Deonarine – as the New Zealanders were dismissed for 154 in their second innings about an hour after lunch.
The part-time off-spinner ended with a career-best 4-37 from 22 overs, frontline off-spinner Sunil Narine finished with 3-19 from 12 overs, and Tino Best snared 2-44, as only Dean Brownlie with 35, passed 20 with the bat for the Black Caps on the day.
Gayle was then trapped lbw for eight on the crease by a full-length delivery from left-arm fast-medium bowler Trent Boult in the third over of the innings and Powell fell for six, suffering a similar fate to Tim Southee, leaving the Windies 20 for two.
But Samuels joined Fudadin and brought a steadying influence, easing concerns, carrying the hosts to 56 for two at tea.
Samuels was 20, when fortune smiled on him and he edged Doug Bracewell to gully, where B.J. Watling put down a regulation chance in the final over before tea.
After the break, he and Fudadin continued to consolidate before the refreshment break was taken a few minutes early to allow fans to watch Fraser-Pryce triumph over arch-rival Carmelita Jeter of the United States.
But following the break, Fudadin started to play loosely before he was bowled for 27, dragging a delivery from left-arm fast-medium bowler Neil Wagner into his stumps.
Samuels knocked a widish delivery from Dean Brownlie through backward point for a single to reach his 50 from 98 balls before he drove loosely at Bracewell and was caught at first slip.
Earlier, Deonarine and Best grabbed two wickets apiece before lunch, as New Zealand stumbled to 109 for seven at the interval.
After the New Zealanders started the day on 59 for two, Best triggered a wobble, when he struck twice in the space of three deliveries in his third over of the day, removing night-watchman Wagner for six and New Zealand captain Ross Taylor for a second-ball duck with catches to the ‘keeper, leaving the visitors rocking on 80 for four.
West Indies’ bowlers slowed the scoring to a trickle and Brendon McCullum cracked under the pressure, when he gave a bat-pad catch to forward short leg, playing defensively forward to Deonarine. He made 19.
Deonarine added the scalp of Kane Williamson, caught at slip for eight, edging a loose drive before Sunil Narine was belatedly introduced and snared Kruger van Wyk caught at deep backward square leg for five from a top-edged slog/sweep just before the interval, sinking the New Zealanders to 105 for seven.
After lunch, Narine claimed two of the last three New Zealand wickets before Roach wrapped up the visitors’ innings, when Southee was caught at deep fine leg from a top-edged hook at a short, rising ball.
West Indies lead the two-Test series 1-0, following a nine-wicket victory in the first Test, which ended last Monday at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
They are making a bid to complete their first series sweep, since Ridley Jacobs’ side beat Bangladesh 2-0 close to a decade ago.
Scoreboard
NEW ZEALAND 1st Innings 260
(M. Guptill 71; K. Roach 4-70)
WEST INDIES 1st Innings 209
(M. Samuels 123; D. Bracewell 3-46, T. Boult 3-58)
NEW ZEALAND 2nd Innings
(overnight 59 for two)
M. Guptill lbw b Deonarine 42
B.J. Watling lbw b Deonarine 11
N. Wagner c wkpr Ramdin b Best 6
B. McCullum c Fudadin b Deonarine 19
*R. Taylor c wkpr Ramdin b Best 0
K. Williamson c *Sammy b Deonarine 8
D. Brownlie c Deonarine b Narine 35
+K. van Wyk c Chanderpaul b Narine 5
D. Bracewell c Fudadin b Narine 14
T. Southee c Narine b Roach 7
T. Boult not out 0
Extras (lb1, w1, nb7) 7
TOTAL (all out, 65.2 overs) 154
Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Watling), 2-56 (Guptill), 3-80 (Wagner), 4-80 (*Taylor), 5-85 (McCullum), 6-98 (Williamson), 7-105 (+van Wyk), 8-142 (Bracewell), 9-149 (Brownlie)
Bowling: Roach 12.2-3-34-1 (nb3); Best 13-2-44-2 (nb1, w1); *Sammy 6-2-19-0 (nb1); Narine 12-1-19-3; Deonarine 22-7-37-4
WEST INDIES 2nd Innings (target: 206)
C. Gayle lbw b Boult 8
K. Powell lbw b Southee 6
A. Fudadin b Wagner 27
M. Samuels c *Taylor b Bracewell 52
S. Chanderpaul not out 20
K. Roach not out 10
Extras (b4, lb1, w7) 12
TOTAL (4 wkts, 43 overs) 135
Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Gayle), 2-20 (Powell), 3-94 (Fudadin), 4-113 (Samuels)
Bowling: Boult 10-1-39-1 (w1); Bracewell 9-0-26-1 (w1); Southee 10-3-15-1; Wagner 10-3-32-1; Williamson 2-0-6-0; Guptill 1-0-6-0; Brownlie 1-0-6-0 (w1)
Position: West Indies need 71 more runs to win with six second innings wickets standing
Umpires: M. Erasmus (South Africa), P. Reiffel (Australia)
TV umpire: R. Kettleborough (England)
Match referee: R. Madugalle (Sri Lanka)
Reserve umpire: G. Brathwaite (West Indies/Barbados)
