New Zealand ended Day 1 firmly on top after dismantling West Indies for 205, before finishing at 24 for 0 in Wellington. Blair Tickner’s superb 4 for 32 and debutant Michael Rae’s 3 for 67 powered a dominant bowling display, though Tickner’s late shoulder injury cast a shadow over an otherwise commanding day.
West Indies had begun brightly with a 66-run opening stand between John Campbell and Brandon King, but once New Zealand turned to the fresher, sharper pair of Tickner and Rae, the innings flipped. Tickner removed King and Hodge in quick succession, while Rae accounted for Campbell soon after lunch to leave the visitors wobbling at 93 for 3.
Shai Hope and Roston Chase tried to rebuild with a 60-run stand, but both were undone by relentless short-pitched pressure. Hope battled his way to 48 despite taking two blows to the helmet, before Tickner finally forced the mistake. Chase fell shortly after, and the lower order folded quickly as Rae and Glenn Phillips cleaned up the tail, with West Indies losing seven wickets for just 52 runs.
The only concern for New Zealand arrived late in the day when Tickner, heroic throughout the innings, suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder while diving at fine leg and had to be stretchered off to an ambulance.
Tom Latham and Devon Conway then saw off nine testing overs to finish on 24 without loss, trimming the deficit to 181 heading into a second day expected to favour the batters.
