PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum believes one bad session cost his side the second Test against West Indies, and says they need to stick to their game plan if they are to win the third Test and the series. The Black Caps won the opening Test by 186 runs inside fours day in Jamaica to take a 1-0 lead in the series but then slumped to a disappointing 10-wicket defeat in the second Test at Queen’s Park Oval which finished Friday.
Opting to bat first, New Zealand were 159 for three at tea on the opening day but lost seven wickets for 62 runs in just over an hour in the final session, to be dismissed for 221.
“I thought right throughout the Test, barring that one session … we were pretty good,” McCullum said.
“I thought the application and the intensity with which our seamers bowled was outstanding and something we can be really proud of. On another day they could have easily knocked the top off the West Indies batting order.”
Even when trailing by 239 runs on first innings after West Indies piled up 460 all out, the Black Caps showed plenty character to battle back from 212 for eight after tea on the penultimate day, to 331 all out at lunch on Friday’s final day.
