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Blackcaps bowlers strike late to take control after eventful second day
Sport Nation • December 11th, 2025 6:45 pm
Mitch Hay and Daryl Mitchell appeal during Day 2's final session | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
The West Indies will resume their second innings at 11am Friday (NZT) trailing by 41 runs, and they will do so already down two wickets.
Blackcaps bowlers Michael Rae and Jacob Duffy struck early after the change of innings to put the pressure back on the visitors. Windies opener John Campbell was the first to go - a not so marvelous leave - believing he got the angle right only for his stumps to be castled by Kiwi debutant Rae.
Duffy followed suit in the next over to dispatch nightwatchman Anderson Phillip via lbw, leaving the West Indies 32/2 at stumps.
Prior to that, the Blackcaps lost their final wickets in relatively quick succession.
Mitchell Hay was the first to fall after tea at 213/6, followed by Glenn Phillips (233/7), Duffy (257/8), and Rae (278/9) - all within the space of 15 overs. Due to Blair Tickner's dislocated shoulder from Day 1 deeming him unfit to bat, NZ skipper Tom Latham declared to cement a lead of 73 runs.
Michael Rae sends statisticians scrambling at the Basin | Sport Nation Cricket
Debutant Hay reaches maiden Test half-century to steady Blackcaps innings
Whatever was served at lunch, the West Indies came out firing for the second session on Day 2 with two quick wickets to turn the second Test against the Blackcaps on its head.
In the first over after the break, Rachin Ravindra (5) was caught behind by wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach off Kemar Roach's bowling for his second wicket of the innings. Justin Greaves followed suit with the opening ball of the next over, dismantling what was a strong outing by Devon Conway, finding the gloves of Imlach on 60.
Conway's demise brought in Test debutant Mitchell Hay, the Burnside West Christchurch University Cricket Club product quickly got off the mark and looked comfortable alongside Daryl Mitchell as the pair turned the heat on the Windies. As the Hay-Mitchell partnership reached 50 runs off 88 balls, the Blackcaps trailed by 38 runs.
As the pair went shot for shot, and the Sport Nation commentary team divulged into discussions about how many BBQs do you need to be considered successful in life, the breakthrough eventually came for the visiting bowling attack minutes before the tea break.
DRS confirmed that Mitchell got an edge on the ball to again find Imlach's steady hands - Anderson Phillip improving to 2/51 at the end of the 55th over. But shortly after, Hay gave the Wellington crowd something to cheer for as he achieved his maiden Test half-century while on debut from 74 deliveries.
The Blackcaps are 200/5 at the conclusion of the second session, trailing by 5 runs with Glenn Phillips (2) at the crease with Hay (52).
Mitchell Hay makes a statement with fifty on Test debut | Sport Nation Cricket
Conway guides Blackcaps through steady opening session
The Blackcaps have made an encouraging start to Day 2 of the second Test against the West Indies in Wellington on Thursday.
Anchored by Devon Conway's undefeated 55, the hosts have moved to 112/2 at lunch, trailing the tourists' first-innings total of 205 by 93 runs.
Captain Tom Latham (11) was the first wicket to fall on day two, beaten through the gate by a sumptuous delivery from Kemar Roach which nipped off the seam and collected the top of off stump.
Shortly afterwards, Conway was granted a reprieve when he was dropped at leg slip off the bowling of Jayden Seales with his score at 29.
Kane Williamson and Conway put on a second-wicket partnership of 67 before his wickets were skittled by Anderson Phillip just 15 minutes before lunch.
Rachin Ravindra has joined Conway in the middle, sitting 5no at the break.
Join Sport Nation’s award-winning commentary team for live ball-by-ball coverage of the three-Test series between the Blackcaps and the West Indies - and subscribe to Cricket Nation on Spotify.
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