Jacob Duffy’s five-wicket haul in the second innings capped a dominant performance by New Zealand, who crushed the West Indies by 323 runs in the third Test at the Bay Oval on Monday to seal the series 2–0.
The first Test at Hagley Oval ended in a draw, while New Zealand won the second by nine wickets, underlining their growing control as the series progressed.
Black Caps Surge Up WTC Table
The comprehensive win lifted New Zealand to second place in the ICC World Test Championship standings, moving above South Africa and trailing only Australia. Their next WTC assignment is a three-Test series against England next year. West Indies remain ninth on the table and will next play home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Morning Resistance, Then Rapid Collapse
Resuming the final day on 43 without loss, West Indies showed early resolve as openers Brandon King and John Campbell reached 74/0 by the drinks break. What followed was a dramatic collapse.
Duffy provided the breakthrough soon after drinks, removing King for 67 with a short ball that climbed awkwardly and took the glove. Ajaz Patel then struck to dismiss Campbell, triggering a slide that saw five wickets fall for just 11 runs.
Kavem Hodge popped a defensive prod to short leg, where Rachin Ravindra completed a sharp reflex catch. Alick Athanaze edged a loose drive to the keeper, and Justin Greaves followed shortly after, edging to first slip. From 87 without loss, West Indies slumped to 99/5 by lunch.
Duffy, Ajaz Shut the Door
Shai Hope and Roston Chase attempted to steady the innings, but their 56-ball stand yielded only six runs. Chase became Duffy’s fourth victim, while Hope battled for three off 78 balls before Ajaz trapped him lbw.
Glenn Phillips dismissed Kemar Roach, and despite brief resistance from Tevin Imlach and Anderson Phillip, West Indies could not delay the inevitable. After tea, Phillip was lbw to Ravindra, and with the second new ball taken, Duffy removed Jayden Seales for a duck to end the match.
Duffy finished with 5-42, recording career-best match figures of 9 for 128, while Ajaz Patel claimed 3-23 in the innings and 6-136 in the match.
Batting Sets the Platform
New Zealand’s bowlers were backed by a monumental batting effort led by Devon Conway and Tom Latham. The opening pair became the first in Test history to each score two centuries in the same match.
Conway etched his name into the record books with scores of 227 and 100, becoming the first New Zealander—and just the 10th player overall—to score both a double century and a century in a single Test. He was named Player of the Match.
Captains Reflect
We were clinical across the five days. It was about staying in the contest for long periods and being patient. The collective effort from the group was pleasing, especially on a surface we don’t usually play on.
We played well in patches but not for long enough. Adapting quicker to conditions is something we need to improve, and we have to be better at nailing key moments.
Brief Scores: New Zealand 578/8 decl & 306/2 decl West Indies 420 & 138 all out in 80.3 overs (Brandon King 67; Jacob Duffy 5-42, Ajaz Patel 3-23) Result: New Zealand won by 323 runs.
