NZ second Test against WI edging towards draw

St. George's, July 1: New Zealand seemed to be edging toward a series-winning draw with the West Indies on Monday but lost Lou Vincent and skipper Stephen Fleming in a late burst of wicket-taking on the fourth day of the second Test.

New Zealand was on 139 for two at the end of play, and leading by 42 runs ahead of the West Indies' final reply. Vincent forged a 117 partnership with opening batsman Mark Richardson in an afternoon of defence-minded cricket.

A West Indies breakthrough came from an unlikely quarter when West Indies skipper Carl Hooper introduced a second leg-spinner with nine overs of play remaining.

Ramnaresh Sarwan promptly beat Vincent's hesitant defensive shot to topple his off stump with the third ball of his first over.

Sarwan proved that there was more movement left on the Queen's Park wicket than had seemed apparent from the spin-bowling of Mahendra Nagamootoo. Hooper took heart and reintroduced himself as an off-spinner.

He quickly collected the wicket of Stephen Fleming, caught at slip by Brian Lara, with just five runs to his name. The late two-wicket burst has set up an intriguing fifth day of the second and final test.

New Zealand won their first ever test match in the West Indies last week to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The tourists scored a first innings total of 373 in the first innings in Grenada, to which the West Indies replied with 470.

The New Zealand openers tried to avoid any risks on a wicket that was giving little joy to bowlers by the second innings.

Left-hander Richardson was at the crease for 163 minutes before he reached his half-century with a pull shot to the boundary at square leg.

The left-hander was on 69 at the end of the day's play, and looking to improve on his first innings tally of 95.

Vincent had initially struggled to adapt his game to the ultra-defensive approach and was lucky to escape two good catch chances from Pedro Collins deliveries.

The first flew to Chris Gayle's midriff at slip, with Vincent on two runs, but the fielder fumbled a ball he should have held.

Collins' eye-rolling grew more intense two overs later when Vincent's mistimed a defensive shot flew between first and second slip. Vincent was on 54 when Sarwan removed his off-stump.