West Indies and New Zealand evenly poised

SYDNEY, Mar 10 (Reuters) New Zealand led West Indies by 116 runs with six second-innings wickets in hand at stumps on the second day of the opening test in Auckland today.

New Zealand were 98 for four at the close with captain Stephen Fleming unbeaten on 19 and nightwatchman James Franklin on three after Hamish Marshall (one), Jamie How (37), Peter Fulton (28) and first-innings centurion Scott Styris (five) all fell cheaply.

The West Indies had trailed by just 18 runs on the first innings after being bowled out for 257 at tea and the match remained evenly poised by the end of the day.

The tourists had resumed on 51-3 and quickly slumped to 90-5 before vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan (62) and all-rounder Dwayne Bravo (59) rescued the innings with a sixth-wicket partnership of 89. REUTERS SI PM1122