Pacers give West Indies strong start on rain-hit Day 1

West Indies' pace battery gave a good account of themselves as they picked eight of the nine wickets to fall on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. More than an hour was lost to rain in the morning session but the weather cleared from the second session on, allowing for 70 overs of action. Kemar Roach made a strong return to action, while debutant Ojay Shields and Justin Greaves too complimented him as the trio picked two wickets each to keep New Zealand in check all day.

Roston Chase chose to bowl in gloomy conditions and comeback man Roach struck straight away. In the first over of the day, he had Devon Conway edge to Greaves at second slip. Midway through the fourth over, showers forced the players off the field. When play resumed, only seven more overs were possible before rain returned, ending the session with New Zealand on 17 for 1.

Clear skies greeted Kane Williamson in the post-Lunch period. He began with two exquisite boundaries. In the following over, Roach offered a full delivery and Williamson played an on-drive for his third boundary. Williamson reached his 38th Test fifty, playing out the first hour of the second session with ease alongside Tom Latham. After the break, however, Greaves squared up Williamson. The former captain edged to Alick Athanaze at second slip. In his next over, Greaves went full and got Latham to edge behind to wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach.

It proved a tricky hour for New Zealand as they lost two more wickets before Tea. Seales went round the stumps and beat Rachin Ravindra, knocking back his stumps. Ravindra departed for three. Will Young then became Johan Layne's maiden Test wicket. A good length ball shaped inwards, creating doubt. Young was late to withdraw his shot and edged to Greaves at second slip. From 94 for 1, New Zealand slipped to 128 for 5 at Tea.

In the final session, Shields picked up his maiden wicket. A full, inswinging delivery had Tom Blundell inside-edge onto his stumps. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith hit back, adding a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Chase broke the partnership with the only wicket from spin on the day. Smith looked to flick a flighted delivery but couldn't keep it down. John Campbell at short mid-wicket dived to take a good catch.

Bracewell's resistance lasted another 15 runs before he fell to the short ball. Shields dug in a bouncer, which Bracewell took on, but Tagenarine Chanderpaul at deep mid-wicket completed the catch. In the over before bad light ended the day's play, Matt Henry fell similarly, failing to connect with a pull against a short ball from Roach and finding the deep square leg fielder.

Brief scores: New Zealand 231/9 (Kane Williamson 52, Michael Bracewell 47; Ojay Shields 2-34, Justin Greaves 2-35, Kemar Roach 2-47) vs West Indies