West Indian openers Chris Gayle and Sewnarine Chattergoon survived a tricky session just before stumps to draw even with New Zealand [Images] after the third day of the rain-affected opening Test in Dunedin on Saturday.

West Indies [Images] finished the day at 39 without loss in reply to New Zealand's first innings total of 365.

Gayle was not out on 29 with a shaky-looking Chattergoon lucky to still be there on nine after a number of near-misses and a desperately close leg before wicket decision in his favour.

West Indies' pace attack had earlier bowled with aggression and discipline to restrict New Zealand, who had started the day at 226 for four and were looking for a big total to force an unlikely result.

Play was disrupted by a waterlogged pitch but eventually got underway, with New Zealand batsmen Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum looked untroubled against the West Indies seamers.

But with the ball not moving at all, Gayle eventually opted to take the new ball, with immediate results.

Fast bowler Jerome Taylor [Images] got a good length ball to move slightly away from McCullum (25), who edged a simple catch to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.

FIERY SPELL

Edwards was in the middle of a fiery spell and had James Franklin (7) in some trouble, hitting him on the ribs with a short ball and then forcing a miscue off the gloves.

In his next over Franklin went back and turned a ball around the corner, but slipped over in the process and hit the stumps with his legs, giving Edwards his first wicket.

Ryder then threw away a chance of a maiden Test century when on 89, he pulled a short ball from Daren Powell [Images] straight to Shivnarine Chanderpaul [Images] at midwicket to leave New Zealand at 311 for six.

Daniel Vettori [Images] (30) and Kyle Mills saw New Zealand safely to tea and after the break Vettori came out firing, smashing three boundaries in the first two overs.

But Powell got his revenge when he enticed Vettori into a lofted cut shot, guiding the ball straight to Xavier Marshall at deep cover for a straightforward catch.

Mills (12) and Mark Gillespie (16 not out) added 20 runs before West Indies got their second dismissal of the match via an appeal to the third umpire.

English umpire Mark Benson [Images] turned down an lbw appeal. Gayle asked for a referral to third umpire Rudi Koertzen [Images], who overturned the original decision.

Edwards then wrapped up the innings when he bounced out No.11 Ian O'Brien, peppering the New Zealand tailender with a series of short balls until O'Brien popped one up in the air to the bowler on his follow through.

Gayle and Chattergoon were then faced with an awkward hour in the fading light.

Chattergoon looked particularly uncomfortable against the aggressive Gillespie, playing and missing on numerous occasions.