New Zealand secured a resounding victory over the West Indies, winning the third Test by 323 runs and completing a 2-0 series triumph. The match, held at Mount Maunganui, concluded on March 15, 2024, as the West Indies were bowled out for 138 in their second innings, chasing a daunting target of 462 runs for victory.
The West Indies began the final day at 43-0, but their hopes quickly faded as they fell from 87-0 to 112-8 around the lunch break. New Zealand’s fast bowler Jacon Duffy delivered an impressive performance, claiming 5 wickets for 42 runs. Spinner Ajaz Patel contributed significantly as well, taking 3 wickets for 23 runs. The collapse saw the visitors lose their last ten wickets for just 51 runs, ending the match shortly after tea.
New Zealand’s Commanding Performance
Captain Tom Latham praised the team’s execution, stating, “It was a pretty clinical performance. Winning the toss, batting first, being able to get close to 600 – it’s the perfect blueprint.” New Zealand declared their first innings at 575-8 and set a formidable second innings total of 306-2. Latham and fellow opener Devon Conway made history by becoming the first pair of openers in Test cricket to score centuries in both innings of a match.
Conway’s contributions were particularly noteworthy, as he scored 227 in the first innings and 100 in the second. This achievement placed him among an elite group of just ten batters in Test history who have scored both a double century and a century in the same match. Duffy’s performance throughout the series was also remarkable, as he took a total of 23 wickets over the three-match series.
West Indies Struggle in Series
In contrast, West Indies captain Roston Chase faced a challenging series, finishing the third Test with scores of just 2 and 5. Throughout the series, he accumulated only 42 runs and took three wickets. Reflecting on his performance, Chase admitted, “I had a tough series, very below par for my standards. I didn’t really lead from the front on the field.” Despite his efforts to motivate the team, he acknowledged that he fell short in terms of contributing significantly during the matches.
With this victory, New Zealand moves up to second place in the World Test Championship standings, trailing only behind Australia. The team’s dominant display against the West Indies solidifies their reputation as a formidable force in international cricket.
