New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori struck in the last over to reduce the West Indies to 258 for six at the close of a fascinating first day of the second Test in Napier on Friday.
Vettori bowled West Indies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin with the first ball of the 91st over to undo some of the damage from a fighting 163-run partnership by the reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul and newcomer Brendan Nash (74).
Chanderpaul finished on 100 not out with first Test century maker Jerome Taylor alongside him on one following a day of fluctuating fortunes.
West Indies captain Chris Gayle won the toss and chose to bat on a sunny day with not a cloud in sight but he was left regretting that decision after steady bowling and brilliant New Zealand fielding reduced the tourists to 74 for four at lunch.
Gayle made his customary blistering start, smashing five boundaries in his 34 before Iain O'Brien produced a brilliant ball which squared the West Indies skipper up and caught the edge of his bat through to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.
An aggressive Ramnaresh Sarwan looked to continue the onslaught and raced to 11 before he tried to cut off-spinner Jeetan Patel and gave a faint edge to McCullum.
O'Brien then claimed his second scalp when Xavier Marshall (6) edged a ball to second slip and Jesse Ryder dived to his right to take a superb catch just centimetres from the ground.
With the West Indies 54-3, Guyanan team mates Sewnarine Chattergoon and Chanderpaul dug in and looked like taking their side safely to lunch until Vettori enticed a big drive from Chattergoon (13), which flew to first slip where Jamie How threw his hands up and claimed a brilliant catch.
Chattergoon's dismissal left West Indies staggering at 74 for four on a perfect batting pitch, but Chanderpaul and Nash ground their way through the middle session, adding 80 runs and wearing down the New Zealand attack.
They took the score to 154 for four at tea and began to accelerate after the break.
Nash made his maiden Test half century before he was caught at short cover off the bowling of James Franklin, but by the time he departed the West Indies were back in control.
Chanderpaul moved to his 20th Test hundred and his first against New Zealand when he turned Vettori around the corner for a single, reaching the mark off 214 deliveries with nine fours and three sixes.
But in the last over of the day Ramdin inexplicably shouldered arms to a straight ball from Vettori and the game swung back towards the hosts.
Scorecard
West Indies (1st innings):
C.Gayle c McCullum b O'Brien 34
S.Chattergoon c How b Vettori 13
R.Sarwan c McCullum b Patel 11
X.Marshall c Ryder b O'Brien 6
S.Chanderpaul not out 100
B.Nash c Flynn b Franklin 74
D.Ramdin b Vettori 6
J.Taylor not out 1
Extras: (nb-7 w-3 lb-5) 13
Total: (for six wickets, 91 overs) 258
To bat: D.Powell, F.Edwards, S.Benn.
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-54, 3-63, 4-74, 5-237, 6-257.
Bowling: Franklin 16-2-57-1 (w-1), Mills 12-4-29-0 (nb-3), Patel 25-12-41-1, O'Brien 18-2-59-2 (w-2), Vettori 17-4-58-2, Ryder 3-0-9-0 (nb-4).
More from rediff