Brandon King and John Campbell ensured West Indies closed day two on an encouraging note, reaching stumps at 110 without loss after New Zealand declared their first innings at a formidable 575 for 8 at Mount Maunganui. Despite still trailing by 465 runs, the visitors showed resilience and intent after a long day and a half in the field.
New Zealand’s dominance was built on a monumental innings from Devon Conway, who struck 227, with strong support from Tom Latham’s 137 and an unbeaten 72 from Rachin Ravindra. The hosts pushed so hard that, after declaring, they briefly lost control of the momentum, failing to fully exploit a green surface with the new ball.
Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes and Michael Rae bowled too full early on, allowing King and Campbell to settle quickly. West Indies surged to 88 in the first 15 overs, hitting 13 boundaries and taking advantage of New Zealand’s lack of discipline, which also included ten wides. It was a remarkable response from a side that had already spent 155 overs in the field.
The opening pair batted with clarity and confidence, focusing on playing late and straight while punishing anything loose. Their unbeaten century stand was their first together and only the sixth opening partnership of 100 or more for West Indies in the past 11 years. King reached his second Test fifty, underlining the quality of the stand.
Earlier in the day, West Indies showed far greater control with the ball than on day one. Justin Greaves produced a standout moment by dismissing Kane Williamson for 31, repeatedly drawing him into playing outside off stump before inducing an edge to the keeper. Roston Chase bowled 25 overs unchanged to cover for Kemar Roach, who left the field with a hamstring injury.
West Indies also had to manage multiple setbacks. Shai Hope remained unwell throughout the day and may not be able to bat in his usual No. 4 position, while Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Ojay Shields were carrying niggles. When Greaves briefly left the field, the visitors had no substitutes available and turned to 19-year-old local Sebastian Heath, who is also registered with the Denmark cricket team, to help out.
Given these challenges, taking seven wickets on the second day and then batting with such composure were hard-earned achievements. Only Ravindra passed fifty for New Zealand during the day, reflecting West Indies’ improved discipline and control. Jayden Seales, in particular, found lift and movement from a good length, troubling Conway late in his marathon 508-minute innings.
Conway eventually fell lbw to a delivery that jagged back and stayed low, a reminder that bowlers can still find help if they remain precise. Chase’s offspin was already extracting turn and bounce, and Ajaz Patel is expected to play a key role as the pitch continues to change.
Day three will bring new challenges, but West Indies have already contributed to a rare piece of history. This is the first Test in New Zealand to feature two century opening partnerships in the same first innings, and after a difficult start, the visitors have ensured the match remains intriguingly poised.
