Hamilton, New Zealand: Ross Taylor's third century in consecutive tests and a devastating spell by Trent Boult have given New Zealand the upper hand after the third day of the third cricket test against the West Indies, with it the chance to secure a rare series win.
In the face of Boult's aggression, the West Indies crumbled to be all out for 103 in two and a half hours in their second innings, leaving New Zealand 122 to win the match for a 2-0 series victory. New Zealand was 6-0 after two overs in its second innings at stumps.
Earlier, Taylor's 131 helped the home team to 349 in reply to the West Indies' 367. Off-spinner Sunil Narine completed test-best figures of 6-91 to give the West Indies' a first innings lead of 18.
But any advantage the tourists enjoyed quickly evaporated when Boult ripped through their top order, removing Kraigg Brathwaite (7), Kieran Powell (0) and Kirk Edwards (1) to leave them 13-3 in the ninth over.
The third day has been decisive in each of the last two tests. A total of 16 West Indian wickets fell on the third day at Wellington as New Zealand bowled out the tourists for 193 and 175 in reply to its 441 to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Seventeen wickets fell at Seddon Park on Saturday as Narine wrapped up the New Zealand innings after its resumption at 156-3, then the West Indies' second innings ended in 31.5 overs.
Boult took 4-23 to lift his tally of wickets in the series to 20 and Tim Southee took 3-12, claiming all three of his wickets in the last over of the innings to go from 98 to 101 wickets in tests.
The innings began to teeter when Boult, in explosive form after his match figures of 10-80 in Wellington, dismissed Brathwaite and Powell in the same over -- the fifth of the innings -- then removed Edwards four overs later.
The troubles deepened when out-of-form Marlon Samuels was out for 8 at 40-4 and New Zealand struck its critical blow when Kane Williamson took a brilliant catch at second slip to dismiss first innings century-maker Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 20, leaving the West Indies 46-5.
Neil Wagner removed Chanderpaul and Narsingh Deonarine (13) for figures of 2-34 to continue the momentum of the West Indies' collapse.
Boult returned to dismiss the other century-maker of the first innings, Denesh Ramdin for 18, then Southee removed Darren Sammy for the innings' top-score of 24, Veerasammy Permaul and Tino Best in the 32nd and final over of the innings.
Permaul and Best both fell lbw in an over which saw several decisions referred to the television umpire before Southee collected his 100th wicket in tests.
The first part of the third day belonged to Taylor who, resuming on 56 not out, carried on to his 11th test century in 284 minutes of 239 balls. Taylor was the only New Zealand batsman who looked completely confident against the spin of Narine and he provided the foundation of the innings as New Zealand limited the West Indies' lead.
He became only the second New Zealander after Mark Burgess to score three centuries in consecutive tests. In an historical oddity, Burgess achieved the feat in a test against Pakistan in 1969, another against England in 1971 and a third against the West Indies in 1972 during an era when New Zealand's test opportunities were severely limited.
Taylor joined Nathan Astle on 11 test centuries and only Martin Crowe (24) and John Wright 17 have scored more for New Zealand.
"I think once this test match is over and the series is over I'll look back with fond memories," Taylor said. "But I think this was the hardest of the three hundreds so far.
"The way Narine bowled, he and Permaul were at us all the time and we were having to negate that. There's still a long way to go tomorrow and we have to get off to a good start. But I'll take the satisfaction of scoring another hundred."
New Zealand was set 112 by the West Indies to win the first test at Dunedin but lost four quick wickets and was 79-4, still 33 runs from victory, when rain washed out the last session and left the match a draw.
Taylor is aware that, though New Zealand's victory target is small, it might still be challenging if Narine can maintain his almost hynotic effect on New Zealand batsmen. Narine has taken only 21 wickets in tests but 18 of those have been against New Zealand -- 12 in a two test series in the West Indies last year and six in this match.
The New Zealanders have struggled to detect his variations: his stock off-break, his doosra and his knuckle ball and he will be helped on the fourth day Sunday by increasing turn and bounce.
"There's still a job to do tomorrow. Narine bowled very well and, believe it or not, I did pick a couple of the balls that went the other way."
Taylor had hit 54 fours but no sixes in the series when he clubbed two sixes from consecutive balls from the bowling of Sammy in one over from which he took 20 runs. He has more than 800 runs in this calendar year at an average of more than 76.
