West Indies first innings 522, second innings 102-1 (Chris Gayle 64*, Kieran Powell 30, Doug Bracewell 1-25) beat New Zealand first innings 351, second innings 272 (Brendon McCullum 84, Martin Guptill 67, Kemar Roach 5-60) by 9 wickets.
Kemar Roach ripped through the formidable batting line up of New Zealand in the 2nd innings and enabled West Indies with a comfortable victory in the 1st Test.
New Zealand managed 351 runs in the first innings and was bowled out for 272 runs in the second innings. West Indies piled up 522 runs in their first innings and reached the target of 102 runs in 19.3 overs.
Sunil Narine (West Indies) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his 8 wickets haul in the match.
The first Test concluded on Sunday, July 29, 2012, at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua.
Earlier, the Black Caps started their second innings on day five at a comfortable position. They had scored 199 runs for the loss of just three wickets in 64 overs at the end of the fourth day and looked like saving the match. Ross Taylor was unbeaten for 11 and Neil Wagner assisted him well with four runs. The coach of New Zealand, John Wright, predicted that his team would be in a position to save the match, if they could play at least until the tea interval.
The duo initiated cautiously and the first four of the day was tasted by Wagner in the 69th over. They found it hard to score the runs against the deadly bowling of the Windies. Kemar Roach got the important breakthrough of the day when Taylor was declared leg before wicket for 21 runs as the total touched 217 runs. That was the start of the disaster for the visitors as Roach became unplayable and tore apart their middle order batting.
The Kiwis were reeling at 7-225 in 91.4 overs as Kruger van Wyk and Daniel Vettori tried to halt the rivals’ invasion. They crept to 251 when the latter was gone for 13 runs and van Wyk became the last victim after scoring 30 off 42 balls with 4 fours. The entire team went back to the pavilion for 272 runs in 105.2 overs and set a target of 102 runs for the Caribbeans to win the match in 46 overs.
Kemar Roach was the chief destructor by grabbing five wickets, Sunil Narine held three and Ravi Rampaul ended up with two wickets.
West Indies opened with their dreadful opening pair of Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell in a smooth manner. Powell hit the first four in the third over and Gayle came into his own by dispatching three in the fourth and fifth over. They reached 32 runs after the 8th over when tea was taken, Gayle and Powell were unbeaten for 19 and 12 runs respectively.
Kiran Powell opened up with two consecutive fours in the first over after tea which was bowled by Kane Williamson and the fifty of the innings was attained in the next over with a boundary from Chris Gayle. The latter punished Williamson for 18 runs in the 13th over assisted by a couple of towering sixes. The first wicket partnership was broken at 77 when Powell was caught at backward point by Dean Brownlie off Doug Bracewell for 30 off 47 balls with 5 fours.
Assad Fudadin joined in next with Gayle who powered his 34th Test fifty on the fifth ball of the 17th over with a four. Chris Gayle looked in a hurry and added 11 runs in the 19th over with two fours. Fudadin scored the winning run on the third ball of the following over with a single, remained unbeaten for seven and Gayle secured his end with 64 off 49 balls with 2 huge sixes and 8 fours. The home team achieved the target by thrashing 102 runs for the loss of just one wicket in just 19.3 overs.
West Indies won the first Test with a grand margin of nine wickets and lead the two match series 1-0. The second and final Test will commence from August 2, 2012, at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica.
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