West Indies bowlers dominated the opening day, ripping by New Zealand’s batting line-up with scientific effectivity. The guests selected to subject after successful the toss at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, setting the tone early within the contest. New Zealand slumped to 231/9 by stumps, thanks largely to a relentless West Indian bowling assault that supplied little respite to the house aspect.
Kane Williamson’s combating knock amid New Zealand’s top-order collapse
Amid the top-order collapse for New Zealand, Kane Williamson stood out with a gutsy half-century, showcasing his class and expertise. Williamson scored 52 runs off 102 balls with six boundaries earlier than falling to Justin Greaves’ bowling, caught by Alick Athanaze. His innings was a combating effort at a time when wickets have been tumbling round him, anchoring a 93-run partnership with Tom Latham, who contributed 24 runs. The remainder of New Zealand’s batters struggled to construct partnerships because the West Indies bowlers maintained relentless strain. Regardless of the difficult circumstances and disciplined bowling, Williamson’s composed batting was a beacon for the hosts and highlighted his return to Take a look at cricket after almost a 12 months.
West Indies’ disciplined bowling dominates Day 1 of the primary Take a look at
West Indies bowlers collectively dismantled New Zealand’s batting line-up on Day 1, extracting most benefit from the inexperienced and overcast circumstances conducive to swing bowling. Standout performances got here from Greaves (2 wickets for 35 runs), Kemar Roach (2 for 47), Ojay Shields (2 for 34 on debut), and Jayden Seales (1 for 44).
The guests exhibited wonderful self-discipline and talent, taking wickets at essential moments to stop the Black Caps from settling. The bowling unit’s precision was mirrored within the constant fall of wickets at common intervals, permitting New Zealand to achieve solely 231 for 9 in 70 overs. The late order batters, Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy, held agency with a minor unbeaten partnership on the shut, however the day firmly belonged to the West Indies seamers, who bowled with menace and management all through.
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This opening day efficiency has put West Indies in a commanding place because the Take a look at progresses, showcasing their potent bowling arsenal and strategic execution in abroad circumstances. The delicate New Zealand innings was repeatedly damaged down, with strain mounted by disciplined bowling spells and sharp fielding. The guests now maintain the higher hand, wanting to capitalize on their early breakthroughs and preserve dominance on this first Take a look at at Christchurch.
Dangerous mild has stopped play & that is stumps on Day 1 of the first Take a look at 🏏
NZ: 231/9 in 70 overs
Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/M5WFl3DbZA#cricket #NZvWI pic.twitter.com/GgseMr6Sqj
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) December 2, 2025
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