West Indies slump after Styris century

SYDNEY, Mar 9 (Reuters) West Indies were 51 for three in their first innings, trailing New Zealand by 224 runs, at stumps on the opening day of the first test in Auckland today.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was not out three with Brian Lara yet to score after the West Indies lost openers Chris Gayle (25) and Daren Ganga (20) and nightwatchman Ian Bradshaw for a duck in a disastrous final three overs of the day.

New Zealand were earlier bowled out for 275 in under 70 overs after being sent in to bat first on a temporary drop-in pitch at Eden Park that favoured the bowlers.

The New Zealand top-order also collapsed, stumbling to 70-4 at lunch, before all-rounder Scott Styris and Nathan Astle launched their fightback.

Astle made 51 while Styris went on to complete his fifth test hundred and remain unbeaten on 103 when the innings closed.

Styris then struck twice with the ball, claiming the scalps of Gayle and Bradshaw in the space of three deliveries in the day's penultimate over.

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