BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took 4-68 and pacer Kemar Roach added 3-53 as the West Indies restricted New Zealand to 217-7 by tea on the opening day of the third cricket test at Kensington Oval.
Allrounder Jimmy Neesham top-scored with a boisterous, unbeaten 56 off 64 balls. The left-hander hit seven fours and a six. Ross Taylor scored 45 while Kane Williamson hit 43, and captain Brendon McCullum added 31.
Roach removed the two Kiwi openers early in the morning session but a third-wicket stand of 74 between Taylor and Williamson shifted the momentum. Benn, however, made the telling breakthrough just after lunch in a second session dominated by the hosts.
Williamson hit seven fours off 68 balls before he diverted to first slip at 102-3. Roach scalped Taylor soon afterwards, Benn hauling in a magnificent one-handed catch diving away to his right at gully at 114-4.
Neesham and his skipper McCullum counter-attacked in a fifth-wicket stand of 54 before Benn grabbed three quick wickets. McCullum top-edged an awkward pull to first slip while BJ Watling feathered to the same position on 1, and Tim Southee was bowled for 6 by a faster ball as New Zealand slipped to 194-7. Neesham brought up his 50 just before tea as he and fellow left-hander Mark Craig added 23 unbroken for the eighth wicket. Craig was 10 not out.
