Ross Taylor celebrates after scoring his 17th Test century

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

New Zealand are on track to whitewash the West Indies 2-0 after veteran batsman Ross Taylor scored a record-equalling 107 not out on the third day of the second Test in Hamilton.

Taylor’s hundred was his 17th in the longest format and saw him join Martin Crowe and current captain Kane Williamson as the New Zealand batsmen with the most Test centuries.

Starting off the day on 215/8, the West Indies only added six runs to their overnight score before they were bowled out as Trent Boult clean bowled Miguel Cummins and Shannon Gabriel in successive deliveries.

Boult was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Colin de Grandhomme chipped in with two wickets apiece.

With a 152-run lead in hand, the Black Caps made a disappointing start to their second innings as opener Jeet Raval was caught and bowled by Cummins for four runs, while Tom Latham was trapped lbw off the bowling of debutant Raymon Reifer for 22.

Latham opted to review the decision, but it didn’t help as replay showed that the ball was pitching in line and hitting the stumps.

Williamson and Taylor stabilised the innings with a 58-run partnership, during which Williamson brought up his fifty.

Kane Williamson struck his 26th half-century in Test cricket

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

However, he was unable to make the most of it as he was cleaned up by Cummins for 54, which came off 64 balls and included eight boundaries.

Henry Nicholls fell shortly after, but Taylor and Mitchell Santner steadied things with a 50-run stand before Santner was dismissed by Roston Chase for 26.

Taylor and De Grandhomme kept the scoreboard ticking with a 51-run partnership, during which Taylor surpassed his half-century, before De Grandhomme was given out lbw off the bowling of Gabriel for 22.

Even though wicketkeeper Tom Blundell and Wagner failed to have an impact with the bat, Taylor went on to score an unbeaten 107, which came off 198 balls and included 14 boundaries, before New Zealand declared on 291/8, which set the West Indies a target of 444 to win.

Southee, who was batting with Taylor prior to the declaration, thumped a 20-ball 22, which included four boundaries.

Cummins was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Gabriel and Chase snapped up two wickets apiece. As for Reifer, he took one wicket.

Chasing 444 to win, the West Indies were dealt a big blow on the ninth ball of their innings as opener Kieran Powell was sent packing by Boult for a duck.

Things went from bad to worse when Shimron Hetmyer was caught by Wagner at mid-off off the bowling of Southee for 15.

Stand-in captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope ensured the West Indies didn’t lose anymore wickets before stumps as they put together an unbeaten three-run partnership.

Brathwaite finished on 13 off 24 balls, which included two boundaries, while Hope remained undefeated on one.

Boult and Southee claimed one wicket each.

The West Indies ended day three on 30/2 and will continue batting on Tuesday at 11:00 local time or 22:00 GMT (the day before).