HAMILTON: Jeet Raval anchored a positive start for New Zealand as they went to lunch at 87 for one on the opening day of the second Test against the West Indies in Hamilton on Saturday.
Raval was unbeaten on 44 with Kane Williamson on 20.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl, the sole success for the West Indies was the wicket of Tom Latham for 22.
The West Indies, needing to win in Hamilton to avoid a New Zealand sweep in the two-Test series, had the advantage of winning the toss but were unable to exploit the opportunity in the first hour.
Raval and Latham were particularly harsh on Shannon Gabriel, cracking 22 off his first two overs.
The West Indies quick did have trouble with the surface on his delivery stride, calling for sawdust to be placed on the area after his second ball, and when he later took to bowling around the wicket the run flow slowed.
Kumar Roach, bowling wide of the crease and angling the ball across the left-handed New Zealand opening pair, proved more difficult to get away without being particularly threatening as New Zealand ended the first hour at 57 without loss.
With full-length deliveries lacking hostility, and New Zealand cracking 60 of their 87 runs from boundaries, Miguel Cummins employed the short ball strategy to trouble Latham.
He had an edge that fell just short of first slip before eventually sealing the wicket.
Latham did not have sufficient room to play the pull shot freely and it was top-edged to Shane Dowrich.
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