NZ vs WI, 1st Test: Blackwood's Gritty Ton Goes In Vain As Kiwis Hand Innings Defeat To Windies At Hamilton

New Zealand have taken a 1-0 unassailable lead over the Windies in the 2-match Test series after handing the visitors a massive innings and 134-run defeat in the opening Test in Hamilton

New Zealand team after beating Windies in opening Test at Hamilton (ICC Twitter Handle)

New Zealand took a 1-0 lead over West Indies in their 2-match Test series after trouncing the Windies by an innings and 134 runs in the first Test played at the Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday. On the fourth day of the Test match, Jermaine Blackwood put up a valiant fight for the visitors by scoring a gritty ton and tried his level best to delay the defeat with a gritty partnership with tailender Alzarri Joseph, but it was not enough as Kiwis seamers Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner cleaned up the West Indies' lower order to clinch a massive win for the Black Caps. Resuming their tottering innings at 196/6 on Day 4, still trailing New Zealand by 185, the visitors folded out for 247 as the Kiwi seam duo of Wagner-Jamieson polished off the Windies tail, picking up the last three wickets in the space of 10 balls.

WAGNER AND JAMIESON SEAL BIG VICTORY FOR ????????

New Zealand pacers shine to help their side win by an innings and 134 runs, their biggest in terms of runs against West Indies ????#NZvWI | Report ???? — ICC (@ICC) December 6, 2020

Blackwood top scored for the Windies in the second innings with 104 run knock laced with 11 fours and two sixes. Joseph contributed with 86 off 125 balls, which included three sixes and nine fours. New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was awarded The Man-of-the-Match award New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was awarded The Man-of-the-Match award for a career-best 251, which helped his team set a massive first innings score of 519-7 and lay down the platform for a massive win. West Indies skipper Jason Holder heaped praises on Blackwood and Joseph, but also expressed his disappointment on the overall performance of the Windies unit. "We just weren't good enough. We still had some positive stuff with our bowling unit but our batting wasn't good enough. I have to congratulate Blackwood and Joseph for their innings … but quite frankly our top order needs to do better," Holder said after the match.