007 Wagner destroys West Indies in career best performance

Neil Wagner's Test-best figures of 7-39 have given New Zealand control of the first Test against the West Indies - the tourists succumbing to the left-armer's normal swag of short balls.

The 31-year-old bowled 15 overs in a row from the southern end of Wellington's Basin Reserve in the early summer heat and the Windies wilted to 134 all out in their first innings.

In reply New Zealand were 85-2 at stumps on day one, Jeet Raval not out 29 and Ross Taylor 12.

Tom Latham had gone for 37, tamely pulling Jason Holder to Kemar Roach at midwicket before Roach snapped the prize wicket of Kane Williamson, caught in the gully for one.

The day belonged to Wagner, whose 7-39 outshone his previous best of 6-41 at Bulawayo last year and are the fourth-best figures by a New Zealand bowler.

Much of the pre-match talk was about New Zealand swing bowler Trent Boult and the possible debut of paceman Lockie Ferguson.

The West Indies had also talked about attaining consistency and scoring big runs.

Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and elected to bowl on the verdant Basin pitch.

However, he had to wait 90 minutes for the first breakthrough as top-scorer Kieran Powell (42) and Kraigg Brathwaite (24) - the only scores of note - put on 59 for the first wicket.

Wagner was the second change bowler and, as he has done many times before, bent his back to push the ball into the batsman with short balls.

He took two wickets, Shimron Hetmyer and Brathwaite, before lunch, when the West Indies were 79-3, and was quickly back in action after the break with another four, twice sitting on a hat-trick.

Shai Hope lasted three balls before he gloved a legside delivery to give wicket- keeper Tom Blundell his first catch in Tests.

Sunil Ambris, on debut, was out first ball when he stepped back onto his stumps while fending Wagner to leg.

Roston Chase (five) then went to a rare leg slip catch by Raval and Wagner then bowled Jason Holder with a surprise first-ball yorker.

Shane Dowrich (18) survived the hat-trick ball but was then run out backing up when he couldn't make his ground to beat a direct hit from Mitchell Santner.

Trent Boult then bowled Miguel Cummins for one before Wagner took the final wicket of Shannon Gabriel (10).

It was Wagner's fifth five-wicket haul, in his 33rd Test. The only other wicket- taker, Boult finished with figures of 2-36.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission.