Denesh Ramdin and Shivnarine Chanderpaul stunned New Zealand with a sixth-wicket partnership of 200 to revive West Indies to 289 for 6 from 86 for 5
The Report by Abhishek Purohit18-Dec-20130:00
Ramdin, Chanderpaul restored spirit
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDenesh Ramdin hit his fourth Test hundred•Getty Images
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Denesh Ramdin’s century was only the 11th by a West Indies wicketkeeper in away Tests. Ramdin has scored three centuries in away Tests, equalling Clyde Walcott’s record for most overseas hundreds by a West Indies wicketkeeper. The hundred in Hamilton is also Ramdin’s fourth Test ton and he is one century away from equalling Jeff Dujon for the record of most hundredsby a West Indies wicketkeeper
The 200-run partnership between Ramdin and Shivnarine Chanderpaul was only the eighth double-century partnership for the sixth wicket by West Indies batsmen. Including this partnership, four have come in away Tests. Ramdin was also involved in the last 200-plus sixth-wicket partnership by West Indies – against England in Bridgetown in 2009.
Ramdin and Chanderpaul came together with the West Indies score at 86 for 5 – the lowest score at which a West Indies pair, where the batsmen added 200 or more runs for the sixth or lower wickets, had begun the partnership. Only four double-century partnerships in Tests, coming for the sixth or lower wickets, have begun at scores lower than the one in Hamlton.
The stand between Ramdin and Chanderpaul was the eighth double-century partnership against New Zealand for the sixth wicket. The last sixth-wicket pair to add 200 or more runs against them was Australia’s Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist in Wellington in 2005. This partnership was also the third 200-run partnership at this venue.
Marlon Samuels – who failed to open his account in this innings – has had an ordinary year in Tests. In 2012, Samuels had scored 866 runs at 86.60, including three hundreds and four fifties in seven matches and 11 innings. In 2013, though, he has scored 285 runs at 25.90 in the same number of innings.
It is their collapses that are spectacular these days, and West Indies didn’t disappoint on that front again, losing 4 for 9 to convert a solid start of 77 for 1 to 86 for 5. But what followed was even more spectacular, and substantial. Denesh Ramdin and Shivnarine Chanderpaul stunned New Zealand with a sixth-wicket partnership of 200 that came at just over four an over. Ramdin’s exit late in the day after his fourth Test hundred gave New Zealand some respite, but Chanderpaul was closing in on his 29th century, and West Indies had two specialist spinners and two competent part-timers to exploit a slow pitch which afforded turn and bounce for slow bowlers even on day one.Just under half an hour of typical chaos after lunch when those four wickets fell seemed to justify Brendon McCullum’s decision to bowl. But the relative comfort with which West Indies batted on either side of that short period showed that the Seddon Park pitch had been of little help to New Zealand.There was some swing for large parts of the day, and the occasional seam, but under mostly bright sunshine, the surface lacked the bite that had been there in Wellington. New Zealand weren’t as disciplined as they had been in the previous Test. Ramdin and Chanderpaul were never tied down, and hit boundaries freely, helped along by some uncharacteristically sloppy New Zealand fielding and catching.Ramdin was put down twice on 57 and 92 at midwicket and short cover, and Chanderpaul escaped with several airy nudges that just beat leg gully. Both batsmen took their chances, and prospered. Ramdin was imperious through cover and point, driving the fast bowlers at will for fours. The off-side infield would think they had an opportunity, but by the time someone dived or stuck out his hand, the ball would have sped towards the boundary. Ramdin repeatedly unsettled the legspinner Ish Sodhi, slog-sweeping and pulling him powerfully.Chanderpaul was troubled by Sodhi’s turn and bounce initially, the fielder at leg gully always in with a chance. But he survived, and drove the quick bowlers smoothly down the ground. New Zealand tried the short ball often against Chanderpaul, with a deep square leg, fine leg and leg gully, but he took them on, pulling confidently.There was a flurry of boundaries just before and after the second new ball was taken, before Ramdin edged Corey Anderson behind in the 87th over to fall for 107. The previous wicket had gone 299 balls ago, when New Zealand had found themselves on top, out of nowhere.West Indies showed again they could collapse regardless of the pitch, conditions or bowling. Kraigg Brathwaite, playing his first Test since April 2012 in place of Darren Bravo, had helped the visitors navigate the first session for the loss of only Kieran Powell, who had only himself to blame for trying an upper-cut while swaying away from a bouncer. Brathwaite, dropped on 13 and 15, and Powell had survived for more than an hour and put on 41.It was Tim Southee who kickstarted the drama soon after lunch. Brathwaite had been tentative often but had survived through some pluck and some fortune to proceed to 45. But when Southee dug it in short, Brathwaite’s awkward style conspired to send the ball to gully. Southee was bowling some big outswingers now, and Kirk Edwards feathered one of them behind while trying to leave it, and was given out after New Zealand reviewed. Marlon Samuels flayed irresponsibly at his ninth delivery to edge to gully for a duck and Narsingh Deonarine missed a clip to be caught in front.Yet again, it was down to Chanderpaul, and he wasn’t going to throw it away easily on such a pitch. Refreshingly, even Ramdin wasn’t willing to.