ST JOHN’S – West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach made a successful return to action following injury, producing a four-wicket haul to limit New Zealand on a rain-hit opening day of the three-day tour match against the WICB President’s XI yesterday.
Roach finished with four for 28 as New Zealand, sent in to bat, struggled to 137 for eight on a day highlighted by several stoppages for rain at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
Middle order batsman Kane Williamson stroked 55 and Kruger van Wyke, 34, to be the only players to pass 20 on a difficult day for the visitors.
Roach, who was forced out of the tour of England in May with a shin injury after two matches of the three-Test series, looked sharp as he undermined the Black Caps’ batting.
He started by knocking over opening batsman Martin Guptill, lbw for five with the score on six. That sparked a slide which saw the Kiwis tumble to 54 for six before Taylor and van Wyke propped up the innings with an 80-run, seventh-wicket stand.
Taylor faced 226 balls in 224 minutes at the crease and struck seven fours while van Wyke hit three fours in an innings spanning just over two hours and requiring 93 balls.
The game is the only warm-up fixture before the first Test starts next Wednesday at the same venue. (CMC)
