West Indies inch closer to victory

West Indies require 71 more runs with six wickets in hand to win the second and final Test against New Zealand and wrap up a 2-0 series win after reaching 135-4 by stumps Saturday on the third day. Offspinner Narsingh Deonarine took a career-best 4-37 and Marlon Samuels followed with 52 as West Indies nosed ahead of New Zealand at Sabina Park. New Zealand was dismissed for 154 midway through the second session after resuming on 59-2 to set a winning target of 206. Samuels followed his brilliant first innings century with a half-century that held the chase together. He struck seven fours off 103 balls in 157 minutes. Assad Fudadin scored 27 in an important partnership of 74 for the third wicket. Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 20 at stumps with nightwatchman Kemar Roach providing solid resistance with 10 not out There was a wicket apiece for each of the New Zealand seamers, with Tim Southee claiming the best figures of 1-15. Doug Bracewell (1-26), Neil Wagner (1-32) and Trent Boult (1-39) tried to keep the visitors in the hunt. Earlier, West Indies’ bowlers, led by Deonarine, fast bowler Tino Best (2-44) and Sunil Narine (3-19), derailed the Kiwis in swift fashion. Martin Guptill’s 42 on Friday was the top score for New Zealand, while Dean Brownlie made a defiant 35. The Caribbean side made early inroads by taking 5-50 in the morning session. New Zealand wobbled to 109-7 at lunch, but had a brief flurry from Brownlie and the tail after resumption. Brownlie struck five fours off 66 balls in 90 minutes, while Doug Bracewell helped him add 37 for the eighth wicket by scoring 14. Narine finally broke that stand, Bracewell prodding a catch to short leg off inside edge and pad. Brownlie also fell to Narine, trying to lift him over the top and finding Deonarine running back from mid-off at 151-9. Kemar Roach returned to wrap up the innings and finish with 1-34, Tim Southee’s top-edged hook sailing down to fine leg where Narine held a well-judged catch. West Indies started its pursuit in positive fashion with Chris Gayle lashing a six and Kieran Powell stroking a four. But Boult and Southee quickly shifted the momentum by removing the opening pair. Gayle was lbw to a big outswinger from Boult while Powell fell to Southee’s first ball, also leg before.  But Samuels, who got a chance on 20 when B.J. Walting dropped a regulation catch at gully off Bracewell, and Fudadin turned the contest in the home team’s favor with an assured stand.  Wagner and Bracewell brought the Kiwis back into the contest in the last hour by removing both batsmen. Fudadin, after striking two fours off 74 balls in two hours, dragged an attacking back foot stroke off Wagner back onto his stumps at 94-3.  Samuels, soon after completing his 50, slashed at Bracewell and skipper Ross Taylor held a fine, low first slip catch. But Chanderpaul and Roach added an unbroken 22 before the close to tip the balance back to West Indies. From:Khaleej Times