New Zealand A v West Indies
Four-Day Match (first-class)
Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
3-6 December 2020
RESULT: NZ A won by an innings and 143 runs
SELECTED MILESTONES
Tim Seifert - sixth first-class century and first for NZ A
Glenn Phillips - sixth first-class century and second for NZ A
Romario Shepherd - maiden first-class century
Romario Shepherd | PHOTOSPORT
DAY FOUR
After solid batting efforts from both sides in the first innings on a flat deck, the match quickly unravelled for West Indies A in their second dig.
A wrist injury to West Indies A left-hander Raymon Reifer hastened a dramatic denouement to the first-class fixture at Bay Oval.
Three down overnight, West Indies A had resumed their second innings on the final morning at Bay Oval at 53/3.
Another quick strike by Scott Kuggeleijn (3-18), followed by Nathan Smith's removal of opening batsman Nicholas Pooran on 35, brought Reifer to the middle at 85/5.
However, after having faced six balls Reifer retired scoreless, seemingly troubled by his left wrist after an injury in the field the previous day.
With Oshane Thomas also unable to bat, New Zealand A required just the eight wickets, and achieved the victory before lunch, the West Indies finishing at 109 for eight in just 36 overs and New Zealand A winning by an innings and 143 runs in a fierce finish.
The wickets were shared around the NZ A attack, Volts teammates Jacob Duffy (2-27) and Nathan Smith (2-17 off six overs) each pocketing a brace.
The second first-class match between the A sides begins at Saxton Oval, Nelson on Friday, 11 December.
DAY THREE
The West Indies will head into the final day of their first 'A' match at Bay Oval trailing New Zealand A by 195 runs with seven wickets remaining - after a quick double strike by Scott Kuggeleijn just before stumps.
Earlier, New Zealand A's solid first innings continued with wicketkeeper-batsman Dane Cleaver threatening to post the third century of the innings before he was caught and bowled on 85.
Cleaver shared a 36-run stand for the fifth wicket with Joe Carter; a 45-run stand with Central teammate Doug Bracewell for the sixth and then a century stand with Otago's hardy Nathan Smith who reached 76 off just 84 balls.
Hayden Walsh and Fabian Allen both worked hard for their three wickets before NZ A was finally stopped on 574 all out, a first-innings lead of 252 runs.
After an early wicket for NZ A captain Jacob Duffy followed by Kuggeleijn's two wickets in four balls, West Indies A will resume at 57/3 on the final morning.
DAY TWO
BLACKCAPS gun Glenn Phillips has continued his thunderous form against West Indies sides.
Fresh off his record 46-ball T20i century at the same ground against the Windies, he crunched a red-ball century just days later on the second afternoon of New Zealand A's first-class fixture with West Indies A.
Tons for fun: Glenn Phillips is in outrageous touch | PHOTOSPORT
Phillips and Tim Seifert were in control for the bulk of the first two sessions as they piled on an outstanding 226 for the first wicket at a warm and fine Mount Maunganui.
Having begun his innings shortly before stumps the night before, the 23-year-old powerhouse's sixth first-class century arrived after lunch off 138 balls, in 185 minutes and included 10 boundaries and five sixes - all of them slammed over the leg-side.
New format, same result at @BayOvalOfficial for @glenndominic159. A first-class 100 for New Zealand A against @windiescricket A just a couple of pitches over from his T20 record hundred on Sunday. LIVE video scoring | https://t.co/1nCyzGLg3b #NZAvWIA pic.twitter.com/lra2qjFmM4
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 4, 2020
The duo had reached their half centuries either side of the luncheon, with Seifert on 80* when Hayden Walsh finally induced a return catch from Phillips at 226 for one.
Mark Chapman quickly settled in and found the boundary as Seifert drew nearer to his own hundred, the pair pushing past the 250 as Seifert eased into the 90s.
By drinks in the last session Seifert had reached 96* after a more considered period of play, Powell shuffling his attack in an attempt to keep a more circumspect Seifert en garde.
Seifert was patient, patient, showing a different side to the keeper-batsman than the dashing strokemaker of white-ball. Then, immediately after scampering through for a two to bring up the 50-stand for the second, got the single off Mayers that brough up his century off 231 balls, in 328 minutes, with seven boundaries.
It was the 25-year-old's sixth first-class century, and first for New Zealand A.
Freeing his arms after the milestone, he would be trapped by Reifer on the old unlucky number of Nelson's (111) just after he and Chapman had taken the hosts past the 300-mark in their 80-run partnership.
Chapman followed him in just five balls later on 45, Joe Carter and Cole McConchie the new pairing. By stumps, New Zealand was just one run away from matching West Indies A's first innings total.
DAY ONE
Batting at nine for West Indies A, a breezy 133 off 154 balls from Romario Shepherd has steered West Indies A out of a pile of trouble and into a strong position after day one of the first-class match with New Zealand A in Mount Maunganui.
Just days after his 26th birthday, it was Shepherd's delight as he combined with Raymon Reifer in a 199-run stand for the eighth wicket that saw the West Indies recover after having been 88/6 at lunch.
Romario Shepherd | PHOTOSPORT
After a batfest in Queenstown, New Zealand A headed into quite different conditions at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval where day one against West Indies A was distinctly bowl-first weather.
Just 78km away from the BLACKCAPS-West Indies Gillette Test further inland, on the Bay of Plenty coast New Zealand A captain Jacob Duffy had no hesitation in sending in West Indies A, and had only to wait eight balls before Doug Bracewell cracked the opening stand with his second delivery — Brandon King’s dry run at the ground continuing after the white-ball series against the BLACKCAPS at 3/1.
Jacob Duffy worked hard for four wickets | PHOTOSPORT
Three overs later, Duffy found the edge of Shayne Moseley who had moved up the order following the departure of the Test stars, but a 66-run stand for the third wicket between Nicholas Pooran — the big shot-maker handed a rare first-class opportunity by the WI selectors — and Rovman Powell finally got the West Indians into some rhythm.
Pooran has represented the West Indies in 49 white-ball matches, yet this is only the fourth first-class appearance of his career.
He greeted allrounder Nathan Smith’s arrival at the crease with his first six — over the bowler’s head, but Smith struck back by having Powell caught behind on 27 at the start of his next over, keeper Dane Cleaver collecting the catch off an assist from Glenn Phillips at first slip.
Smith then made it two in four balls with Kyle Mayers gifting a leg-side grab to Ish Sodhi at 79 for four after 18.
The wickets kept tumbling but, after an action-packed start to the match, only one wicket would fall in the middle session as left-hander Reifer adopted largely an anchorman role.
Raymond Reifer | PHOTOSPORT
He ploughed to his third half century for West Indies A, before his epic fightback alongside Shepherd was finally disrupted late in the day just one ball away from the 200-stand.
Shepherd’s previous best had been 72 and he quickly took the lead in the much-needed partnership with Reifer.
Sweeping Cole McConchie for a single, Shepherd’s century arrived shortly before 6.45PM, off 135 balls, including 14 boundaries and two sixes, having spent more than three hours fighting back, and with increasing comfort.
Then Dane Cleaver suddenly pouched his fourth catch off Duffy to finally break them apart, Reifer dismissed on 65 after 245 minutes and 162 balls with Shepherd on 132*.
Jacob Duffy ultimately finished with 4-47 after an afternoon of sweat and toil, and Volts teammate Smith 3-37, while wicketkeeper Cleaver grabbed four catches in the innings - including a fine running take to remove Josh da Silva off Scott Kuggeleijn.
New Zealand A opening pair Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips safely negotiated the three overs before stumps and will resume at 10/0, 312 runs behind West Indies A’s 322 all out in 82.1 overs.
