<p>Ross Taylor smashed a maiden double century against the West Indies on Wednesday as New Zealand racked up an imposing 609-9 declared, taking a vice-like grip on the first Test here.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The tourists made a shaky start to their reply, reduced to 24-2 before recovering to reach 67 without further loss by the close but they face a bigtask to save the match.<br /><br />Taylor, who a year ago was in the doldrums when dumped as New Zealand captain, proved that disappointment was well behind him as became only the 13th New Zealander to reach 200 in a Test innings.<br /><br />Along the way he shared in a 195-run partnership with replacement skipper Brendon McCullum – a record fourth-wicket stand for New Zealand against the West Indies.<br /><br />Taylor was at the crease for more than eight hours, faced 319 balls and hit 23 boundaries without risking a lofted shot.<br /><br />Four of those boundaries came in one over from Shannon Gabriel as the workload told on the West Indies quicks after a leg muscle strain forced Darren Sammy out of the attack.<br /><br />Throughout his marathon innings, Taylor offered only one sharp chance when he was dropped on 131 at short leg off spinner Shane Shillingford.<br /><br />After New Zealand resumed the day at 367-3, the visitors made early inroads with the removal of McCullum for 113 and Corey Anderson without scoring.<br /><br />BJ Watling (41) restored order with Taylor in an 84-run stand for the sixth wicket before West Indies engineered a second mini breakthrough. <br /><br />Tino Best claimed the scalp of Watling and Narsingh Deonarine removed Tim Southee for two to have New Zealand at 472-7 before Ish Sodhi (35) and Neil Wagner (37) helped Taylor to get New Zealand past the 600-run mark. New Zealand declared at their fourth-highest Test score following the dismissal of Wagner after the tailender and Taylor had belted 34 runs in five overs.<br /><br />The aggressive Best, with his short-pitched deliveries, was the most successful of the West Indies bowlers, returning figures of three for 148 while Sammy and Deonarine finished with two wickets apiece.<br /><br />The West Indies faced 24 overs before stumps and struggled immediately.</p>
<p>Ross Taylor smashed a maiden double century against the West Indies on Wednesday as New Zealand racked up an imposing 609-9 declared, taking a vice-like grip on the first Test here.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The tourists made a shaky start to their reply, reduced to 24-2 before recovering to reach 67 without further loss by the close but they face a bigtask to save the match.<br /><br />Taylor, who a year ago was in the doldrums when dumped as New Zealand captain, proved that disappointment was well behind him as became only the 13th New Zealander to reach 200 in a Test innings.<br /><br />Along the way he shared in a 195-run partnership with replacement skipper Brendon McCullum – a record fourth-wicket stand for New Zealand against the West Indies.<br /><br />Taylor was at the crease for more than eight hours, faced 319 balls and hit 23 boundaries without risking a lofted shot.<br /><br />Four of those boundaries came in one over from Shannon Gabriel as the workload told on the West Indies quicks after a leg muscle strain forced Darren Sammy out of the attack.<br /><br />Throughout his marathon innings, Taylor offered only one sharp chance when he was dropped on 131 at short leg off spinner Shane Shillingford.<br /><br />After New Zealand resumed the day at 367-3, the visitors made early inroads with the removal of McCullum for 113 and Corey Anderson without scoring.<br /><br />BJ Watling (41) restored order with Taylor in an 84-run stand for the sixth wicket before West Indies engineered a second mini breakthrough. <br /><br />Tino Best claimed the scalp of Watling and Narsingh Deonarine removed Tim Southee for two to have New Zealand at 472-7 before Ish Sodhi (35) and Neil Wagner (37) helped Taylor to get New Zealand past the 600-run mark. New Zealand declared at their fourth-highest Test score following the dismissal of Wagner after the tailender and Taylor had belted 34 runs in five overs.<br /><br />The aggressive Best, with his short-pitched deliveries, was the most successful of the West Indies bowlers, returning figures of three for 148 while Sammy and Deonarine finished with two wickets apiece.<br /><br />The West Indies faced 24 overs before stumps and struggled immediately.</p>