The New Zealand seam bowlers capitalised on a two-hour rain delay to give their side the upper hand at the end of day two in the second cricket test against the West Indies in Hamilton.
Neil Wagner, left, celebrates a wicket with Tim Southee. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
After last-wicket pair Trent Boult and Tim Southee boosted the Black Caps to 373 all out late in the first session at Seddon Park on Sunday, the visitors were 215-8 and still trailing by 158 runs when stumps were called.
The West Indies had reached 87-2 before wet weather interrupted play during the second session and when the game got back underway following the tea break it was the home team who went about taking control.
Six wickets fell in an extended final session, attack spearheads Southee (2-34) and Boult (2-67) and fellow seamers Colin de Grandhomme (2-40) and Neil Wagner (2-73) finishing with two scalps each.
Captain and opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite made 66 as the leading contributor for the tourists, wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich next best with 33.
Debutant Raymon Reifer dug in admirably to be unbeaten on 22, while Miguel Cummins was the other not out batsman on 10.
Earlier, Boult and Southee were the stars of the show during the first session.
The visitors were 24-1 at lunch, trailing by 349 after Southee made the early breakthrough, removing Kieran Powell for a duck.
But it was Southee and Boult's 61-run last-wicket stand with the bat during the initial part of the day that provided the most entertainment.
New Zealand began the day at 286-7 and looked on track for just a little more than 300 when last pair Southee and Boult came together at 312-9.
Wagner (1) had earlier fallen in the day's first over to a brilliant one-handed catch in the gully by Shai Hope from the bowling of Kemar Roach, while wicketkeeper Tom Blundell made a steady 28 before he was bowled by Shannon Gabriel.
In their own unique batting styles, though, Southee and Boult frustrated the West Indies bowlers and regularly sent the ball to the boundary to provide the home team with valuable bonus runs.
Southee hit two sixes and one four to reach 31 before he was the last wicket to fall when he mis-timed a pull shot and was caught and bowled by Roach.
Boult remained on 37 not out from just 27 deliveries, the No 11 striking five fours and two sixes.
The Black Caps pleasing first session continued when left-hander Powell got an inside edge to a full in-swinging ball from Southee with just five runs on the board for the West Indies.
One wicket fell in the 50 minutes of play after lunch. Shimron Hetmyer (28) was looking aggressive until he lobbed a ball back to Boult, who took a diving one-handed catch to his left in his follow-through.
New Zealand lead the two-match series 1-0 after their innings and 67-run victory in Wellington.
- AAP, RNZ
