Quote:Although the view of the West Indies Test team being on the improve is held in many circles, the innings and 67-runs defeat in Wellington shows that there is much work left to be done and more pieces of the puzzle that need to fall into place.

Playing in New Zealand has always been difficult. The West Indies last won a Test there in 1995. But if being consistently competitive is the aim, then they have got to find ways to avoid instances like the total capitulation of their batting that occurred in the first innings and the collapse after a solid start that occurred in the second.

It is also imperative that they develop a bowling attack with more incisiveness and depth. Too often have we seen the bowling unit make reasonably early inroads, only to be put to the sword later as they run out of steam. In Wellington they had the Kiwis at 281/6, a position not totally without hope. But then they allowed them to romp to 520/9 declared, killing any chance that they had of staging a comeback, considering their very inadequate first innings total of 134.

Kane Williamson put the visitors to bat first after winning the toss, and the Windies negotiated the first 20 or so overs without alarm. But then Neil Wagner began his predictable, short-pitched assault that completely upended the West Indies’ innings, leaving it in tatters. It is certain, considering how often he has resorted to this method of attack in the past, that the visitors knew what to expect. Yet they appeared totally unprepared as to how to defy the left-arm pacer, who captured Test-best figures of 7/39 off 14.4 overs.