PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Gritty New Zealand defied a purposeful West Indies bowling performance with a battling display at Queen's Park Oval, staving off defeat, frustrating the hosts and forcing the second Test into the final day yesterday.

At the close of yesterday's penultimate day, New Zealand were 257 for eight, only 18 runs ahead, and with little hope of preventing West Indies from completing a series-levelling victory.

In-form Kane Williamson top scored with 52, his 13th Test half-century, BJ Watling hit an unbeaten 38, while opener Tom Latham and stroke-maker Ross Taylor both chipped in with 36.

Mark Craig, in his second Test, was unbeaten on a defiant 29, and was involved in a vexing 45-run, ninth-wicket partnership with Watling, which kept West Indies at bay for the last 100 minutes of the day.

When Ish Sodhi perished for 14 in the fifth over after tea and Tim Southee (15) fell 20 minutes later to leave New Zealand on 212 for eight, West Indies appeared to be closing in on a fourth day victory.

buckled down

But Watling buckled down in an innings that has so far consumed 150 balls, lasted four hours and 14 minutes, and included two fours. He found an ally in Craig who has faced 102 deliveries in 104 minutes, and counted three fours.

Roach has so far taken three for 53, while fellow seamer Jerome Taylor (2-46) and combative left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (2-62) finished with two wickets apiece.

It was Benn who proved the key man for the Windies, claiming two of the three wickets to fall in the first session, as New Zealand slipped from their overnight position of 73 for one.

Bowling in an unbroken spell throughout the morning session, the lanky Benn got rid of unflappable opener Latham and Jimmy Neesham for seven, to leave the Kiwis on 126 for four at lunch.