Close New Zealand 139 for 2 (Richardson 69*, Vincent 54) and 373 lead West Indies 470 (Gayle 204, Chanderpaul 51) by 42 runs
scorecard

Two wickets late in the day gave West Indies a glimmer of hope after New Zealand had seemed on course to draw the fourth Test in Grenada.

New Zealand had wiped out West Indies' first innings lead of 97 without losing a wicket and were well set to bat throughout the final day. With Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent making serene progress, Carl Hooper turned to the part-time legspin of Ramnaresh Sarwan and he immediately broke through, his quicker ball deceiving Vincent (117 for 1). Then Hooper himself struck, Stephen Fleming edging to Brian Lara at first slip for 5 (132 for 2). With Craig McMillan possibly indisposed – he split the webbing on his right hand in the field yesterday – New Zealand still had some work to do.

West Indies, resuming on 385 for 5, lost the in-form Shivnarine Chanderpaul to the second ball of the day when he was caught by Fleming off Shane Bond for 51. Thereafter, West Indies, needing quick runs, rather lost their way and although Mahendra Nagamootoo launched Daniel Vettori for two successive sixes the pace was slow.

New Zealand made the second breakthrough when Ian Butler got one to rear from a length at Ridley Jacobs who could only fend the ball to Scott Styris at gully. Jacobs had made 17 and added 47 for the seventh wicket with Nagamootoo (441 for 7).

Nagamootoo's cameo of 32 was ended when he edged Styris to wicketkeeper Chris Hart (448 for 8), and Pedro Collins and Adam Sanford continued to frustrate the New Zealand bowlers with a ninth-wicket stand of 22 before Collins was deceived by Vettori's arm ball and adjudged leg-before for 14 (470 for 9). Bond wrapped up the innings when Sanford top-edged an ambitious swipe and was caught by Ian Butler for 12.

Bond was the pick of the bowlers on a wicket which showed no signs of growing any less docile, his five wickets a worthy reward for his untiring efforts. Vettori, who took 1 for 134, was expected to get some help from the pitch but posed little threat.

The last five West Indies wickets fell for 76 runs and yet again their tail had failed to wag as much as they needed. However, the pitch will almost certainly have the final say unless New Zealand bat exceptionally badly.

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