Nicholls’ ton steadies Kiwis against Windies

By stumps an unbeaten century by Henry Nicholls, the 100th to be scored at the Basin Reserve, had tipped the match in New Zealand favour. New Zealand was 294-6 and Nicholls was 117. But it had been hard going and no-one had done it harder than Nicholls, who scratched for runs at times, living on luck and eventually reaching his sixth Test hundred with a miscued shot behind point. Conditions had set the scene for a testing day. West Indies captain Jason Holder won the toss, chose to bowl and his attack led by Shannon Gabriel, who bowled with the wind at his back in his 50th Test, had New Zealand three down by lunch. Conditions improved for both teams but mostly for New Zealand as the day wore on.

No-one lived more precariously than Nicholls, who gave at least three catching chances on his way to his first half century in 14 Test innings, going back to August last year. Gabriel saw Nicholls dropped by Darren Bravo at first slip when he was 47 and again from Chemar Holder at the same score.

Brief scores: New Zealand (1st innings) 294/6 in 84 overs (H Nicholls 117 batting, W Young 43, S Gabriel 3/57) vs West Indies