July 29 (Reuters) - The pace of Kemar Roach and the
confidence of Chris Gayle led West Indies to a nine-wicket
victory in the first of their two-test series against struggling
New Zealand on Sunday in Antigua.
Roach took 5-60 with a fine spell of pace bowling which
ripped the heart out of New Zealand's middle order and then
Gayle, who struck 150 in the first innings, eased the Caribbean
side to their target of 102 with a solid, unbeaten 64.
It was just the third win for West Indies in 34 tests since
their victory over England in Jamaica in February, 2009.
New Zealand's hopes of batting out the day, or at least
setting the hosts a challenging target came undone with West
Indies seamers Roach and Ravi Rampaul doing the damage.
Resuming on 199 for three, after losing Brendon McCullum for
84 late on Saturday, the Kiwis lost two crucial wickets for just
27 runs before lunch.
After a short rain break, paceman Roach trapped Ross Taylor
(21) lbw and then clean bowled Kane Williamson with a superb
delivery that straightened and removed the right-hander's off
stump.
The impressive Roach struck again shortly after lunch, with
the third delivery with the new ball, luring Neil Wagner into an
edge to keeper Denesh Ramdin.
Rampaul then removed Dean Brownlie and Daniel Vettori,
spinner Sunil Narine claimed his eighth wicket of the match by
getting Doug Bracewell lbw.
Kruger van Wyk had provided the only real resistance but
stuck with number eleven Chris Martin he had to go for his shots
and was undone by a lovely slower bowl from Roach.
The total of 272 all out left West Indies with a
comfortable target of just 102 to win and plenty of time to get
it.
Their first test win since beating Bangladesh in Dhaka in
Oct 2011, ending a nine test winless streak, was never in doubt
as Gayle took charge with Kieran Powell who made 30 before he
was caught by Brownlie off Bracewell.
Assad Fudadin accompanied Gayle to the finish line as West
Indies enjoyed the rare taste of victory and handed New Zealand
another painful loss after their defeat in the one-day series.
"We didn't look like creating enough pressure at times,"
said skipper Ross Taylor.
"We have to be smarter in the way we play, bowl in better
areas and our batsmen have to spend a lot of time at the
crease," he said, looking ahead to the second test in Kingston,
Jamaica which starts on Thursday.
West Indies skipper Darren Sammy said Gayle had made the
perfect return to test cricket after 19 months out during a
dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board.
"With Chris back, he brings his experience and you could see
that in the way he nurtured Kieran Powell along to his first
test century," said Sammy.
"We have to just keep our focus in this series and look to
repeat what we did," he added.
(Editing By Alison Wildey)