New Zealand post historic win against West Indies

Gareth Chetwynd in Barbados

New Zealand claimed their first-ever Test victory in West Indies on Monday when they won the first Test by 204 runs with a day to spare.

West Indies, chasing a victory target of 474, were bowled out for 269 in their second innings with 10 overs of the fourth day remaining.

New Zealand pace bowler Shane Bond took five for 78, including the wickets of top scorers Chris Gayle and Brian Lara, who both made 73.

New Zealand, who had failed to win in their 11 previous Test encounters in West Indies, were amply rewarded for two patiently-constructed innings on a difficult and variable wicket.

"Not many teams have won on this ground... and some of them have been really worked over. To put one away with a young team was just outstanding," said New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming.

West Indies skipper Carl Hooper refused to attribute the result to fatigue with playing a Test and one-day series with India prior to the New Zealand series.

"We should have been mentally prepared for it. But we lost the first Test against India and we came back to win it... now we need to make a big team effort," he said.

New Zealand, who made 337 and 243 in their two innings, had taken charge by dismissing West Indies for 107 on Saturday when no less than eight wickets fell to catches from rash attacking shots.

The home batsmen tried to make amends on Monday and showed some of the patience, which had been lacking on Saturday.

But the challenge proved beyond them on a wicket that was deteriorating with cracks and holes.

Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori exploited the pitch and took three wickets for 53 runs from 19 overs.

BRAVE EFFORT

West Indies openers Gayle and Wavell Hinds made a brave effort to regain the initiative at the start of the fourth day and shared a partnership of 68.

Hinds was the first to settle and crashed Daryl Tuffey for two successive fours in the 18th over.

Gayle's tendency to stand up straight and smash through the line made him look more vulnerable.

But New Zealand brought on Vettori for an early spell and Hinds soon flicked up a catch for Mark Richardson at short leg and was out for 37.

Gayle was trapped lbw by a delivery off the seam by Bond, having hit 12 fours in an innings of 131 balls.

It was Bond's second wicket in quick succession after the lunch interval, following his dismissal of Ramnaresh Sarwan for 18.

Sarwan, out for nought in the first innings, mistimed a pull off Bond and gifted a catch to Vettori.

Tuffey got an edge off Carl Hooper for Fleming to take the catch at slip when the West Indies captain had made 16.

Vettori dispatched Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ridley Jacobs, leaving Lara with the impossible task of holding together the tail end of the innings with West Indies still 258 runs short of victory.

Lara made a brave effort and produced shots of such quality that the Barbados crowd began to show good cheer despite the inevitability of defeat.

But Bond finally sent Lara's stumps flying with a venomous delivery, leaving West Indies 269 for nine, and then dismissed last man Mervyn Dillon without further addition to the total.

Fleming was named man of the match for his resolute 130 in the first innings, which rescued his side after they had fallen to 117 for five.

The West Indies never recovered the initiative.

Although Pedro Collins provided the hosts with one of their few bright spots, taking a career-best six wickets for 76 runs in the second innings.

Mail Cricket Editor