Kane Williamson’s ton takes New Zealand’s lead over West Indies to 236 runs at lunch on Day 4 of 3rd Test

Kane Williamson's ton and Jimmy Neesham's fifty have guided New Zealand in second innings.

 

By Shrikant Shankar

 

Jun 29, 2014

 

Kane Williamson’s century has helped New Zealand to get a sizeable lead over West Indies in the third Test at Barbados on June 29, 2014. At lunch on Day Four, New Zealand are at 260 for five in their second innings, leading West Indies by 236 runs. Williamson is batting on 121 and BJ Watling is on 15. Jimmy Neesham scored an entertaining 51 off 67 deliveries.

 

Both Williamson and Neesham shared a 91-run stand for the fifth wicket at a live 4.29 runs an over. Neesham fell soon after his fifty to Jason Holder. Brendon McCullum was the first wicket to fall on the day for 25 runs to Kemar Roach. The morning session on Day Four started half-an-hour early.

 

New Zealand started the day with their score at 123 for three. Shane Shillingford began proceedings on Day Four for West Indies. Williamson came down the track and lifted one over wide mid-on for the first four of the day. Williamson cut a short and wide delivery from Roach square on the off side for a four.

 

But it was Roach who got the first breakthrough of the day. His good length delivery came in and hit McCullum on the pads as he played across the line. The umpire ruled him out, but McCullum wanted it reviewed. But Hawk-Eye showed that the ball would have struck leg-stump and McCullum had to depart for 25. Next batsman Neesham hit one from Shillingford towards deep mid-wicket to get off the mark with a four.

 

Neesham seemed in a good mood to score quickly and it was shown as he came down the track and hammered a tossed up delivery from Shillingford over the sightscreen for a massive six. After a few tame overs, Williamson flicked a straight delivery from Roach through a gap at mid-wicket for a four. Sulieman Benn’s first delivery was full and fast. Neesham managed to get a bottom-edge and the ball raced away for a four towards third-man.

 

Jerome Taylor bowled one outside off-stump and Neesham hit the ball over long-on for his second six. The 50-run partnership between Williamson and Neesham came up in the 51st over. Benn tossed one just outside off-stump and Neesham slogged the ball over deep mid-wicket for another six. The 200 was brought up for New Zealand in the 54th over. Williamson guided one from Holder in-between slip and gully for a four.

 

Williamson then cut one from Benn towards deep cover and took a single to get to his century. That was also Williamson’s seventh century in Tests. Neesham quickly got to his half-century with two runs off Holder towards cover and he had help from a direct-hit as well. But Neesham got out the next ball as he drilled a full delivery to Kraigg Brathwaite at short cover. Neesham struck three fours and four sixes in his innings.

 

Next batsman Watling got off the mark with a single off Benn towards cover. After Neesham’s wicket, the scoring has slowed down a bit. The four overs after Neesham’s wicket resulted in only eight runs with a maiden as well. But Watling gets a four off Shillingford towards third-man to ease the tension. Shillingford bowled a loose short delivery and Williamson pulled on the front-foot to get a four towards deep square-leg. Lunch was called on Day Four and New Zealand led West Indies by 236 runs.

 

Brief scores:

 

New Zealand 293 (Ross Taylor 45, Jimmy Neesham 78, Mark Craig 46*; Sulieman Benn 5 for 93, Kemar Roach 4 for 61) & 260 for 5 (Kane Williamson 121*, Jimmy Neesham 51; Kemar Roach 3 for 46) lead West Indies 317 (Chris Gayle 42, Kraigg Brathwaite 68, Kirk Edwards 58; Neil Wagner 4 for 64) by 236 runs.

 

Full Scorecard

 

(Shrikant Shankar is a writer/reporter at CricketCountry.com. Previously he has done audio commentary for various matches involving India, Indian Premier League and Champions League Twenty20 for ESPNSTAR.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Shrikant_23)

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