Dogged Hodge ton sees West Indies save follow-on against New Zealand

Kavem Hodge scored his second Test century on Saturday as the West Indies avoided the follow-on in the third Test at Mount Maunganui

At stumps on the third day, the West Indies were 381-6, still 194 runs behind with Hodge unbeaten on 109 and Anderson Phillip at the other end on 12.

The 32-year-old Hodge crawled to his century off 224 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and being dropped on 74 by Daryl Mitchell off Ajaz Patel.

It took him 33 balls to get through the 90s, including a long stoppage on 97 after he was hit a painful blow in the box by a Michael Rae delivery.

“Thankfully I was able to get over it and go past the landmark,” Hodge said.

“I told myself, hey, I spent all day to get 90. I still have all day tomorrow. Just stick to the processes.

“It makes no sense I work so hard from zero to 90 and then go change. So just stick to the processes, keep concentrating every opportunity I get.”

Hodge shared in an 81-run partnership with Justin Greaves which edged the visitors closer to the follow-on target of 375, and fifty stands with Tevin Imlach and Alick Athanaze.

New Zealand received a spark from an unlikely source when Mitchell trapped Greaves lbw for 43, just his fourth Test wicket in his 35th match.

Batting suddenly looked a lot harder, as West Indies captain Roston Chase came and went, trapped lbw by Patel.

Leading batsman, Shai Hope was missing Saturday because of food poisoning.

Phillip came to the crease and should have been out for two when edging Patel to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, but New Zealand did not appeal. He was then dropped on eight from Patel’s bowling by Rae at mid-on.

Jacob Duffy had 2-79 from 31 overs, while Patel took 2-94 in 33 overs to end his unwanted record of being the bowler to take the most Test wickets without a single one at home.

Patel breaks home duck

Patel’s 86th Test wicket was his first in New Zealand, bowling Athanaze in the middle session some 2,562 days since his first Test in New Zealand and with his 394th ball on home soil.

“It was more like, once that was out of the way, then I can focus solely on the game and not have that in the back of my mind,” Patel said.

“I think there were probably moments where I maybe went searching for it.

“But at the same time, I’ve played a lot of first-class cricket in New Zealand and you have to get to 25, 30 overs and then you reap your rewards.”

England’s Billy Bates, who took 50 wickets between 1882 and 1887, all in Australia, has regained the dubious honour in the Test history books.

The West Indies resumed on Saturday at 110-0 and added only one run before Duffy struck in the second over as John Campbell edged to Tom Latham at second slip without adding to his overnight 45.

The wicket ended the first West Indies century opening stand since February 2023.

Duffy then bowled Brandon King, who had begun the day on 55, for 63.

New Zealand declared their first innings on Friday at a mammoth 575-8, anchored by Devon Conway’s epic 227 and captain Latham’s 137.