new zealand Dominated the bowling on the opening day of the second Test at Basin Reserve. west indies for a modest 205 before reaching a steady 24/0 at stumps. Trailing by 181 runs, the hosts held on to a solid lead following a disciplined collective performance with the ball by Blair Tickner and debutant Michael Roy.
Initial resistance from the West Indies
Opting to bowl first due to overcast skies in Wellington, New Zealand initially found the West Indies top order tenacious. While surface movement was limited in the first session, john campbell44 more shy hopeK’s fluent 48 ensured the visitors negotiated the early danger with composure. Their partnerships helped West Indies maintain stability in the second session, where the hosts began to claw their way back into the contest.
Blair Tickner destroyed West Indies with brilliant bowling
As the pitch picked up pace after lunch, New Zealand’s pace brigade tightened the screws. The short-pitched bowling proved effective, destabilizing the West Indies middle-order. blair ticknerRelentless with his line and attacking length, claiming 4/32, and dismissing four of the top five batsmen at crucial moments. His ability to gain bounce and rush the batsmen forced mistakes which shifted the momentum significantly in New Zealand’s favour.
On debut, michael rae Overcame teething troubles to deliver a restrained and disciplined spell. His 3/67 included crucial middle-order wickets that prevented the visitors from rebuilding. jacob duffy And glen phillips Added a wicket each, which contributed to the overall bowling performance.
Also read: New Zealand vs West Indies, 2nd Test: Key stats and records at Basin Reserve, Wellington
Six wickets for 29 runs: West Indies collapse in the final session
A fairly balanced contest across two sessions turned in New Zealand’s favor after tea. West Indies’ innings collapsed dramatically and they lost their last six wickets for just 29 runs. The lower order had to struggle against a sharp increase in pace and sustained hostility, leaving West Indies well short of a competitive score in the first innings.
However, New Zealand’s almost perfect day was spoiled by a worrying moment at the end of the innings. Tickner’s left shoulder was suspiciously dislocated while attempting to dive at full length near the boundary rope to stop a flick from Tevon Imlach. He immediately stopped below and started calling for help urgently. He was attended to by medical staff from both the New Zealand camp and the venue, before being taken out in an upright position amid the applause of the Basin Reserve crowd. He was later taken to hospital by ambulance. An update on his availability for the remainder of the Test is expected before the start of day two.
In the brief period before stumps, the openers bowled out the remaining overs safely, leaving the hosts at 24 without loss. With a deep batting unit and favorable conditions forecast, New Zealand are in a good position to post a substantial first innings lead on the second day.
New Zealand dominated on the first day of the second test#Cricket #NZvsWI pic.twitter.com/C5IFl0hgCz
– CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) 10 December 2025
