NZ-Windies evenly poised

Tim McIntosh scored a maiden century on Sunday but Fidel Edwards' career-best seven-wicket haul restricted New Zealand's first-innings advantage over the West Indies on the third day of the second test.

McIntosh, playing his third innings and in his second test, batted more than 7 1/2 hours to make 136, guiding New Zealand to 371 in reply to the West Indies' 307.

The left-handed opener occupied the crease for 107 of the 127 overs which made up New Zealand's innings and had put his team in a commanding position at 316-5 when he was out.

But Edwards bowled superbly to take 7-87 from 29.4 overs as New Zealand's last six wickets fell for 55 runs, giving it an overall lead of only 64 runs. Edwards' haul bettered his previous career-best of 5-36.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle and Sewnarine Chattergoon then smashed 58 runs in an opening partnership which all but wiped out the deficit within 12 overs. Chattergoon was out for 21 and Ramnaresh Sarwan for 1 but Gayle (36) saw the tourists to 62-2 at stumps, leaving the match evenly poised with two days remaining.

NAPIER, Sunday, AP