Despite a defiant ninth-wicket New Zealand partnership that has forced the match into the final day, the West Indies were poised for a series-levelling victory at close of play on the fourth day of the second Test at Queen's Park Oval on Thursday.
Trailing on first innings by 239, the tourists reached stumps on 257 for eight, leading by just 18 runs with all of day five to come. West Indies were anticipating an innings victory late on the fourth day when Tim Southee was the eighth wicket to fall with the score at 212 and more than an hour-and-a-half left in the final session.
However B.J. Watling (38 not out) and Mark Craig (29 not out) held firm for 110 minutes in adding 45 runs to ensure the home side will have to try to complete victory on Friday and so set up a series decider in Barbados next week.
Kemar Roach was the leading wicket-taker with three for 53, but the bowling honours of the day really went to Sulieman Benn.
The gangling left-arm spinner operated unchanged through the first two sessions of the day but for one over when he was off the field, taking the vital wickets of Tom Latham and Jimmy Neesham in the morning session.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2014

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