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Bad light ends Day 1 as Blackcaps' tail fights on
Sport Nation • December 2nd, 2025 7:20 pm
Zak Foulkes will resume play tomorrow on 4 runs alongside Jacob Duffy | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
The Blackcaps have survived to stumps, with bad light bringing an end to proceedings on the opening day of the first Test that had already been extended due to rain delay. After 70 overs, New Zealand closed on 231/9.
It was a long wait, but debutant Ojay Shields finally broke through after tea - claiming his first Test wicket by removing Tom Blundell for 29 in the 49th over and bringing Nathan Smith to the crease for his fourth Test appearance.
Smith and Michael Bracewell initially steadied the innings, coming together at 148/6 and putting on a valuable 50-run stand, just as New Zealand pushed their total past 200 in the 65th over.
Their partnership was broken almost immediately though, with Smith departing for 23 thanks to a sharp catch from John Campbell off the bowling of West Indies captain Roston Chase.
Bracewell survived a major scare late in the 67th, dropped behind the stumps on 44, but the reprieve didn’t last long. In the 69th over he miscued a simple catch to Tagenarine Chanderpaul, giving Shields his second wicket on debut.
Matt Henry followed soon after, lasting only four deliveries before Kemar Roach found the edge, Jayden Seales completing the catch as New Zealand slipped to nine down.
Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes were left to see out the fading light, ensuring the Blackcaps will resume with one wicket in hand when play resumes tomorrow at 11am NZDT.
Blackcaps stumble as West Indies take key wickets after lunch
After a wet beginning for the first Test of New Zealand's summer, the Blackcaps had put that gloomy opening session behind them with a strong afternoon at the crease - that was until the West Indies' bowlers put the brakes on the scoring before tea.
The first boundary of the match came in the 12th over in a wayward first over for Johann Layne. Kane Williamson cut a delivery behind point for four runs, followed by another two balls later. The 14 runs allowed by Layne saw the Blackcaps jump ahead to 31 runs after resuming play at 17/1.
What could have been a major moment for West Indies debutant Ojay Shields, Williamson on 33 runs appeared to be clean bowled in the 19th over, only for it to be called back for a no ball.
Tom Latham congratulates Kane Williamson on his 38th Test half-century | Photo: Chris Symes/Photosport
The extra life proved costly for the touring side - the Tauranga native notched up his 38th Test half-century as the second wicket partnership with Tom Latham continued to frustrate the Windies. That second chance lasted until the 30th over when a knick into the slip cordon ended Williamson's outing on 52 from 98 balls, Alick Athanaze showed great hands low to the ground to secure the catch off Justin Greave's bowling.
Greaves got a second breakthrough in his next over - dismissing Latham (24) with an edge that found the wicketkeeping gloves of Tevin Imlach - putting two fresh batters out for the Blackcaps: Rachin Ravindra, plus Will Young coming in at No. 5, replacing the injured Daryl Mitchell.
Ravindra faced five deliveries for three runs, before the sixth was a near-yorker length by Jayden Seales that knocked back the off-stump - New Zealand's bats were feeling the pressure in the second session on 103/4.
Young looked to be building towards something at 14 runs off 38 balls, before another catch was taken in the cordon, this time off Layne to be 120/5.
At the tea break the Blackcaps are 128/5 with Tom Blundell (16) and Michael Bracewell (0) looking to stem the flow of wickets in the final session of the day.
The Kane Williamson Rollercoaster at Hagley Oval | Sport Nation Cricket
Rain halts opening day after Conway's first over duck
West Indies have enjoyed early success at Hagley Oval - Kemar Roach taking the wicket of Devon Conway in the opening over of New Zealand's Test summer without a run on the Hagley Oval scoreboard - an outside edge finding the hands of Justin Greaves in the slip cordon.
While the lights went on ahead of first ball with an overcast day in Christchurch, a sustained rain delay in the fourth over pushed back the conclusion of the first session by 45 minutes.
At the break, the Blackcaps were 5/1 with Tom Latham and Kane Williamson looking to provide some stability, while the West Indies' bowling attack struggled to find a good line and length to test the Kiwi pair after the restart. Rain called lunch at 17/1.
Devon Conway fails to make a statement with first-over duck at Hagley Oval | Sport Nation Cricket
Blackcaps lose toss, West Indies to bowl first
The Blackcaps are beginning the 2025-2027 World Test Championship cycle with a three-match home series against the West Indies.
Visiting captain Roston Chase has won the toss and elected to bowl first on a green-looking Hagley Oval wicket - but while there have been some small drops of rain in Christchurch, the Sport Nation Cricket team are confident of a full day's play.
The call team for the first Test includes Daniel McHardy, Garth Gallaway and Tom Bartlett, plus expert comments from Ian Smith, Jeremy Coney and Chris Harris. For cricket fans at the ground, Sport Nation is providing zero delay commentary thanks to LiveFeed.
A minor injury niggle has ruled out Mitchell Santner from playing, while Daryl Mitchell will also miss the opening Test match as he continues to recover from the groin injury he sustained in the first ODI against the West Indies last month.
Will Young will slip into the No. 5 spot in the batting lineup for New Zealand with skipper Tom Latham and Devon Conway opening the batting.
Join Sport Nation’s award-winning commentary team for live ball-by-ball coverage of the three-Test series between the Blackcaps and the West Indies - and subscribe to Cricket Nation on Spotify.
First Test Teams
Blackcaps: Tom Latham (C), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Tom Blundell (WK), Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.
West Indies: Tagenerine Chanderpaul, John Campbell, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope, Roston Chase (C), Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach, Kemar Roach. Johann Layne, Jayden Seales, Ojay Shields.
Why Kane Williamson's career is like a well-structured spreadsheet | The Opening Stand
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