The opening first class fixture of West Indies tour of New Zealand ended in a lame draw at Owen Delany Park, Taupo today. The result became certain when the West Indians did not enforce the follow on, having taken a first innings lead of 310, dismissing New Zealand A for 140 shortly before lunch on the final day of a three day fixture.

The day was not without interest, the highlights being the bowling of Walsh for the visitors and Penn for the home side.

It took the West Indians precisely two hours to take the remaining six A team wickets after they resumed on 68 - 4. Though there were widening cracks in the pitch, there is not an adequate excuse to explain why the West Indians lost five wickets in five sessions while New Zealand A lost all ten in less than two.

Three of the wickets fell to Courtney Walsh who bowled for 80 minutes with a fresh breeze behind him. All three victims fell to good or full length deliveries with the batsman not fully forward. The appearance of Walsh's name on the team sheet is enough to have batsmen edging onto the back foot.

Styris played down the wrong line and was bowled middle stump by one that kept a little low. Top scorer Sinclair edged a ball that left him and was caught behind. Walker was lbw to a full pitch, feet immobile.

It is hard to believe that Walsh has been bowling at the top level for fifteen years, as well as playing for ten English seasons with Gloucestershire. He appears almost spindly, yet has rarely missed games through injury. Today his legendary stamina was finally exhausted when he bowled four no-balls in one over.

It cannot be a coincidence that Mervyn Dillon's action is so like that of Walsh. He finished with the best figures, 4 - 46, both wickets today being bowled. Hopkins played on chasing a ball well wide of off stump and Drum's off stump was removed by a ball that moved away.

Not wanting to overwork the bowlers (Perry being off the field) the West Indians decided to give the batsmen more time in the middle. While understandable with the first test match beginning in Hamilton a week on Thursday, the decision killed off the game as a contest. Neither, as it turned out, did it produce the benefits hoped for by the tourists.

A Team opening bowler Andrew Penn took the opportunity to atone for an indifferent first innings performance. Finding his line against the left handers who occupy five of the top seven places in the West Indian order, he took 3 - 24. The ball that got rid of first innings double centurion Chanderpaul was a beauty, lifting from a length and leaving the batsman to have him caught behind.

Neither Hinds, bowled by Penn for 7, or Ganga, lbw to Drum for 18, added to their case for test selection. Griffiths was unable to bat because of a bad back.

Powell was Penn's second victim, caught behind attempting a dreadful, head- in-the-air drive. Having looked pure class on the first day Powell has looked vulnerable and impatient when dealing with lateral movement since.

Penn will have confirmed his place in the test squad, but will probably only play if the optimistic reports of the fitness of Dion Nash are untrue.

The West Indians prevented possible embarrassment by declaring at 64 - 4, lead of 374 with a maximum of 140 minutes play left. Even though the scoreboard only gave up registering the required run rate when it passed 15 per over, the final session was a matter of going through the motions. Bell and Stead lost their wickets and Vincent avoided a pair.

When stumps were drawn half an hour early New Zealand A were 58 - 2.

What have the two sets of selectors learned from this match? In both cases, not enough to answer all key questions. The West Indians go to Auckland for a four day game in which they hope that one of the fringe batsmen does enough to secure the second opener's slot by right. They will also want at least two of the fast bowlers who did not play here, Rose, King and Collins, to look as sharp as the two who did.

New Zealand face their perennial problem: a lack of quality just below test level. The top order is a particular concern. Matthew Bell is a promising young player who probably needs a season at A team level before he is finally ready to move up. Gary Stead did well as a makeshift opener in India, but that is not his natural position. Craig Spearman may move up to partner Matthew Horne.

Sinclair was the most impressive home batsman here, though that may be to damn him with faint praise. He, more than the rest, was prepared to play forward. However, it would be unjust if he were to replace Stead who averages 44 after three appearances this year.

Wiseman's controlled performance may earn him a place alongside Vettori with a slow pitch expected at Hamilton. New Zealand's squad will announced at noon on Wednesday, New Zealand time.