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Rain stands between Windies and win

The West Indies only had themselves to blame as Craig rode his luck early in the day.

After rain delayed start of play, West Indies finally bowled out New Zealand for 337 but not before lunch on fifth day. (Source: AP)

After rain delayed start of play, West Indies finally bowled out New Zealand for 331 but not before lunch on fifth day. (Source: AP)

B.J. Watling and Mark Craig completed resolute half centuries on Friday before the West Indies finally dismissed New Zealand for 331 on the stroke of lunch on day five of the second cricket Test. The hosts were left with only 93 runs to win at the Queen’s Park Oval and level the three-match series after rain delayed start of play.

Watling’s unbeaten 66 spanned six-and-a-hours and 216 balls. After resuming on 257-8, Watling stretched his ninth wicket stand with Craig to a record 99. The left-handed Craig compiled 67 off 167 balls. Pacer Kemar Roach eventually made the vital breakthrough and led the West Indian bowlers with 4-74.

Shannon Gabriel took the final wicket and finished with 2-66. Fellow seamer Jerome Taylor took 2-73 and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn claimed 2-78.

The West Indies only had themselves to blame as Craig rode his luck early in the day.

He was dropped by Benn and Chris Gayle off successive balls from Taylor. Benn grassed a very sharp chance at third slip while Gayle was late to move to a first slip chance that wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin could easily have gone for.

Craig, in his second Test, brought up a maiden 50 off 126 balls with seven fours. Watling followed soon afterward. The resistance finally ended when Roach induced Craig to edge through to Ramdin.

Last man Trent Boult (8) hung around for 40 minutes before Gabriel also claimed an edge to Ramdin as the tailender tried to evade a short ball.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 221 (Tom Latham 82; Jerome Taylor 4-34, Sulieman Benn 3-73) and 331 (B.J. Walting 66 n.o) lead vs. West Indies 460 (Kraigg Brathwaite 129, Darren Bravo 109, Jermaine Blackwood 63, Kirk Edwards 55; Ish Sodhi 4-96, Trent Boult 3-75) by 92 runs.

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