From ESPN Cricinfo

New Zealand ease to series victory

The Report by Andrew McGlashan

December 22, 2013

New Zealand 349 (Taylor 131, Williamson 58, Narine 6-91) and 124 for 2 (Williamson 56) beat West Indies 367 (Chanderpaul 122*, Ramdin 107, Southee 4-79) and 103 (Boult 4-23, Southee 3-12) by eight wickets

PHOTO: Kane Williamson works one away to the off side, New Zealand v West Indies, 3rd Test, Hamilton, 4th day, December 22, 2013

New Zealand suffered few alarms as they eased to an eight-wicket victory in Hamilton to claim the series 2-0. It was their first series victory over a top-eight nation since they beat the same opposition in 2006. Kane Williamson provided the main contribution, with an elegant 56, while Hamish Rutherford was unbeaten on 48, having been required to fight a little harder.

The winning runs came at 1.45pm when Rutherford drove Narsingh Deonarine through the covers, meaning Ross Taylor could not quite score enough in the second innings to become New Zealand’s leading scorer in a calendar year after Williamson had been bowled with six runs required.

The only chance West Indies had of conjuring something remarkable after yesterday’s post-tea demise, where they lost 10 wickets in a session, was to grab a couple of quick breakthroughs to create some nerves in the home camp. However, Rutherford and Peter Fulton saw through the initial stages, and although Fulton chipped a return catch back to Darren Sammy – the West Indies captain’s fourth sharp take of the match – the visitors could not strike in quick succession.

Narine probed away throughout the entire first session, making life tough for Rutherford who was stuck at the offspinner’s end for the eighth to the 26th over. Rutherford was given out, caught behind, on 24, but the DRS showed that he had hit the ground rather than the ball. Although rarely convincing, he did collect a couple of boundaries off Narine when he dropped his line short.

Williamson was more free-flowing after taking 15 deliveries to open his account. He greeted Veerasammy Permaul’s first over with two classy drives, exhibiting swift footwork and confidence against the more orthodox spin of the left-armer.

A third lofted boundary by Williamson brought the end to Permaul’s brief spell, and Tino Best, who has been one of the major disappointments of the series, was given a run with little impact.

After lunch, Williamson skipped to his fifty from 74 balls, his second of the match, but could not quite see the chase to its conclusion when he aimed a pull at a ball from Permaul which skidded through. The job, though, was soon completed and New Zealand were able to celebrate a convincing start to their international season. For West Indies, their Test cricket does not hold much cause for satisfaction.

Andrew McGlashan is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

Chanderpaul became the sixth highest run-scorer in Test cricket

From Caribbean360

New Zealand fighting for the advantage against Windies

HAMILTON, New Zealand, Friday December 20, 2013, CMC – West Indies frustrated New Zealand with bat and ball but Ross Taylor’s unbeaten half century helped to steer the Black Caps to safety on the second day of the third test at Seddon Park Hamilton here on Friday.

Taylor is undefeated on 56 and Kane Williamson was bowled by Sunil Narine for 58 as New Zealand closed the day on 156 for three, in reply to West Indies 367 all out, highlighted by centuries from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin.

Taylor and Williamson added 95 to ease some of New Zealand’s pressure after their openers went cheaply on a slow wicket.

The Black Caps needed the stand after West Indies captain Darren Sammy celebrated his 30th birthday by pulling off two brilliant catches to reduce them to 43-2.

Opening the bowling, he stooped on his follow-through to pick up a low return catch to remove Hamish Rutherford and then used his sharp reflexes at leg slip to dispose of Peter Fulton.

Narine posed the biggest threat, occasionally bamboozling both Williamson and Taylor with his variations including the use of the carrom ball across the right-handers from round the wicket.

He trapped Williamson lbw for 58 before stumps after review upheld the decision by umpire Nigel Llong.

Taylor himself survived an early lbw shout that was referred to the third umpire and Brendon McCullum was with him on 11 at the end.

Earlier, the tourists added 60 runs for the final two wickets after Chanderpaul scored his 29th test century and later took their score beyond 350.

The 39-year-old Chanderpaul, who became the sixth highest run-scorer in Test cricket when he reached 98, was unbeaten on 122.

He drew level with Australian legend Don Bradman’s 29 Test hundred, eclipsed another Aussie, fellow left-hander Allan Border’s aggregate of 11,174 runs and for the 45th time in 260 innings succeeded in making sure the opposition failed to dismiss him.

Veerasammy Permaul and Tino Best both swung lustily with energetic Best adding a record 35-run stand for the final wicket against New Zealand.

Best made 25 and Permaul got 20, as the Caribbean side was dismissed about three minutes before the scheduled lunch interval.

Tim Southee finished with the best figures of 4-79 and now needs just two more wickets to reach 100 Test victims.

The Windies trail 0-1 in the three-Test series, following a defeat by an innings and 73 runs in the second Test and a drawn first test.

PHOTO: Chanderpaul celebrating another 100 runs

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/sports/1090602.html?utm_source=Caribbean360+Newsletters&utm_campaign=568db9faef-Vol_8_Issue_222_News12_20_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_350247989a-568db9faef-39393477#ixzz2o3KgUMLU