Ravindra, Latham crack centuries as WI bowlers toil

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (CMC):

Rachin Ravindra and skipper Tom Latham hit contrasting centuries as New Zealand tightened their grip on the opening Test against West Indies with a dominant performance by their batters on Thursday’s third day.

Resuming the day on 32 without loss, Ravindra scored a fortuitous, counterattacking 176 while Latham compiled a patient 145, to help their side add an additional 385 runs for the loss of just four wickets and end the day on 417 for four, an overall lead of 481 runs.

The scoreline could have been much different, though, had the West Indies held on to two chances offered by Ravindra when he was eight and 13, both off the bowling of the unlucky Justin Greaves.

New Zealand’s opening pair of Latham and Devon Conway gave their side a solid start, adding 52 runs in the morning session to see them cruise to 84 without loss.

But after pulling a short ball from Ojay Shields through midwicket for four, Conway tried to cut a short, wide delivery outside off stump the next ball, but only succeeded in picking out Kavem Hodge at point to be out for 37.

With one over remaining before lunch, West Indies captain Roston Chase turned to his most experienced bowler, Kemar Roach and it proved decisive, with the veteran pacer finding the edge of Kane Williamson’s bat on the way through to the keeper with the penultimate delivery before the break, to leave the Kiwis 100 for two.

With the momentum in their favour, the West Indies wasted two chances to make further inroads into the home side’s batting in the afternoon session, with Ravindra being the beneficiary on both occasions.

First Roach put down a tough one-handed chance at midwicket diving to his right, before Hodge spilled a regulation catch at first slip.

The Windies would pay dearly for those dropped catches, as Latham and Ravindra went on to share a record partnership of 279 for the third wicket, New Zealand’s highest partnership against West Indies since 1987 – surpassing Martin Crowe and John Wright’s 241-run stand.

Latham was quick to pounce on anything short or wide square of the wicket and he brought up his 32nd Test half century off 118 balls with two runs through gully off Jayden Seales.

Ravindra then clicked into high gear, moving into the 40s with a delightful pull for four followed by a drive through point for another boundary off consecutive deliveries from Seales.

He reached his half century in just 52 balls by cutting Chase to the boundary as New Zealand raced to 185 for two.

Latham reached three figures for the 14th time in Tests on the stroke of tea by driving Roach to long on and scampering three runs in the process, as the Kiwis motored along to 233 for two at the break.

Ravindra then brought up his fourth Test century off just 108 balls in emphatic fashion in the day’s final session by pulling Johann Layne to the midwicket boundary.

The West Indies finally got a breakthrough when Roach found the outside edge of Latham’s bat with a superb outswinger, but by then the damage had been done.

In all, Latham faced 250 balls and struck 12 fours.

Ravindra fell just before the end of the day’s play, yorked by Shields after facing 185 balls and striking 27 fours and one six, with New Zealand’s lead almost at 500.

Roach has so far taken 2-61, with Shields claiming 2-64.