JOIN USDarren Bravo provided stubborn resistance to New Zealand's bowlers bringing up his maiden Test double century to ensure West Indies made the hosts bat again and sent the first Test at University Oval here into the fifth and final day.
Bravo, whose previous highest Test score was 195 against Bangladesh in 2011, ended Friday's fourth day on 210 not out after he had guided the visitors to 443 for six in their second innings, a lead of 47 runs.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy, although still hampered by a hamstring injury sustained while bowling, remained unbeaten on 44 after he and Bravo had put on a quick-fire 80-run partnership. The hosts also did not help themselves by dropping two difficult chances.
New Zealand had high hopes of pushing for victory on Friday after they had asked the visitors to follow on before tea on the third day when they dismissed West Indies for 213 in their first innings, well short of the home side's 609-9 declared.
Victory appeared all but certain when New Zealand took two early wickets on Friday, dismissing Marlon Samuels for 23, caught and bowled by Tim Southee, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul for just one to leave the visitors struggling on 185-4.
Bravo and Narsingh Deonarine, however, put on 122 runs for the fifth wicket before left-arm medium pacer Corey Anderson struck shortly before tea.
NEW ZEALAND (I Innings 609/9 decl)
WEST INDIES (I Innings 213 all out)
WEST INDIES II Innings, O/n: 168/2):
Bravo (batting) 210
Samuels c and b Southee 23
Chanderpaul lbw Wagner 1
D’narine c Watling b Anderson 52
Ramdin b Sodhi 24
Sammy (batting) 44
Extras: (LB-5, B-4, NB-2, W-5) 16
Total (for 6 wkts, 139 overs) 443
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-135, 3-178, 4-185, 5-307, 6-363.
Bowling: Southee 26-4-90-1, Boult 28-8-71-1, Wagner 25-2-96-1, Anderson 14-2-29-1, Sodhi 41-6-130-2, Redmond 5-1-18-0.