Wellington: New Zealand again removed the prized wicket of Brian Lara with ease as they tightened their grip on the second cricket Test against the West Indies at the Basin Reserve on Sunday.
The West Indies ended the day at 118 for four with the play being called off two hours early due to bad light in their second innings, requiring a further 64 runs to make New Zealand bat again.
Only Chris Gayle showed the determination required by the West Indies to turn the Test into an even contest, after New Zealand were all out in their first innings early in the day for 372 in reply to the West Indies 192.
But even Gayle succumbed to a lack of concentration in the second to last over before tea, when he attempted to sweep Daniel Vettori out of the ground but was instead trapped plumb in front to be dismissed for 68.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was dropped by Stephen Fleming at first slip when on five, was unbeaten on 12 with Dwayne Bravo on two.
Daren Ganga was the first wicket to fall after posting a 50-run opening stand with Gayle, when he slashed at a wide delivery from Chris Martin and was caught by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.
Runako Morton gave Fleming his fifth catch of the match when he edged James Franklin soon after lunch to be out for seven, and the seriously out-of-form Lara followed soon after, caught by Hamish Marshall of Nathan Astle for one.
In four innings on tour, Lara has posted innings of 5, 0, 1, 1.
New Zealand had resumed the day at 335 for seven in their first innings and lost Nathan Astle in the first over, playing forward to Daren Powell and edging the ball to Denesh Ramdin without adding to his overnight score of 65.
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