Jeet Raval scored his sixth Test fifty

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

New Zealand opener Jeet Raval and all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme scored 84 and 58 respectively to hand their side a slim advantage over the West Indies on the opening day of the second Test in Hamilton.

Being put in to bat first, New Zealand got off to a great start as Raval and Tom Latham amassed a 65-run partnership before Latham was caught behind off the bowling of Miguel Cummins for 22.

Raval and captain Kane Williamson kept the scoreboard ticking with an 89-run stand, during which Raval surpassed his fifty, before Williamson suffered the same fate as Latham on 43.

Raval went on to score 84 off 157 balls, which included 15 boundaries, before he was caught behind off the bowling of Shannon Gabriel.

Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls failed to have an impact with the bat as they were dismissed by Kemar Roach and debutant Raymon Reifer for 16 and 13 respectively.

De Grandhomme and Mitchell Santner steadied the ship with a 76-run partnership, during which De Grandhomme brought up his fifty, before Santner was clean bowled by Gabriel for 24.

Colin de Grandhomme struck his second half-century in Test cricket

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

De Grandhomme proceeded to score 58 off 63 deliveries, which included five boundaries and four sixes, before he was cleaned up by Gabriel.

Wicketkeeper Tom Blundell and Neil Wagner ensured New Zealand didn’t lose anymore wickets prior to stumps as they put together an unbeaten 11-run partnership.

Blundell finished on 12 off 23 balls, which included two boundaries, while Wagner remained undefeated on one.

Gabriel was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Cummins snapped up two. As for Roach and Reifer, they claimed one wicket each.

New Zealand ended day one on 286/7 and will continue batting on Sunday at 11:00 local time or 22:00 GMT (the day before).