New Zealand and West Indies arrive in Mount Maunganui with the sequence finely poised at 1–0, however the narrative feels richer than that naked scoreline suggests. The hosts might simply have been chasing a whitewash after bossing giant chunks of the primary Take a look at in Christchurch, solely to be denied by an epic rearguard as Justin Greaves’ unbeaten double hundred and Kemar Roach’s stoic fifty dragged West Indies to a well-known remaining‑day escape.
That escape hinted at a more durable, extra resilient West Indies crimson‑ball unit, however Basin Reserve brutally uncovered their inconsistency, as Jacob Duffy’s 5‑for in Wellington routed them for 128 and turned a aggressive contest right into a 9‑wicket procession that handed New Zealand a 1–0 lead and their first WTC win of the cycle. All of that context feeds into Bay Oval, the place the third Take a look at doubles up as each a sequence finale and a personality examination: New Zealand are chasing an announcement 2–0 scoreline to bolster their dwelling aura and financial institution essential WTC factors, whereas West Indies are preventing to show Christchurch was not a one‑off resistance however a template for a way they’ll compete away from dwelling over 5 days.
NZ vs WI, third Take a look at: Pitch Report
Bay Oval guarantees a traditional New Zealand Take a look at floor that evolves considerably throughout 5 days, demanding each technical self-discipline and tactical flexibility from batters and bowlers. The pitch is anticipated to begin with a wholesome grass masking and agency base, providing true tempo and constant bounce that enables strokemakers to belief the floor, but additionally offering sufficient seam and swing—particularly underneath morning cloud—to maintain new‑ball quicks very .
The typical first‑innings rating in Assessments right here hovers near the 380–390 mark, underlining that sides who negotiate the primary session and depart properly can arrange imposing totals, which is why the toss assumes actual significance with each captains inclined to bat first and management the sport from the entrance. Because the match progresses, the floor is anticipated to lose a few of its preliminary sheen and steadily decelerate, making strokeplay a contact more durable and bringing spinners and alter‑ups into the competition, with tough patches outdoors the best‑hander’s off stump prone to develop by days 4 and 5.
Overhead, a largely clear to partially cloudy forecast with temperatures across the low‑20s and solely a small probability of passing showers ought to guarantee minimal climate interruptions and a robust probability of a consequence if both batting unit suffers a poor session.
Additionally READ: Ajaz Patel, Tom Blundell return as New Zealand announces squad for the third Test against West Indies
Hagley Oval Take a look at Stats and Data
- Complete matches: 5
- Matches gained batting first: 3
- Matches gained bowling first: 2
- Common 1st innings rating: 389
- Common 2nd innings rating: 356
- Common third innings rating: 219
- Common 4th innings rating: 171
- Highest complete recorded: 615/9 (201 Ovs) by New Zealand vs England
- Lowest complete recorded: 126/10 (45.3 Ovs) by New Zealand vs England
- Highest rating chased: 42/2 (16.5 Ovs) by Bangladesh vs New Zealand
- Lowest rating defended: 271/10 (123.3 Ovs) by Pakistan vs New Zealand
- Most runs scored: Kane Williamson (434)
- Most wickets: Neil Wagner (21)
Additionally READ: WTC points table 2025-27 [Updated]: New Zealand jumps past India and Pakistan after taking 1-0 lead against West Indies
