Windies 57-1 at lunch, trail NZ by 123 runs

WELLINGTON, Mar 19 (Reuters) West Indies were 57 for one in their second innings, 123 runs behind New Zealand, at lunch on the third day of the second test at the Basin Reserve today.

Chris Gayle was on 30, while Runako Morton was two not out.

Daren Ganga was the only wicket to fall in West Indies' second innings, when he was caught by wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum off Chris Martin for 23.

New Zealand had earlier been bowled out for 372, a lead of 180 runs, after Fidel Edwards cleaned up the tail with successive deliveries to finish with figures of five for 65.

Gayle and Ganga had been kept in check with tight bowling by Martin and James Franklin before Ganga smashed three successive fours off Franklin and Gayle did the same to Kyle Mills in the next over to unleash the early shackles.

Ganga smashed his fifth boundary off the first ball of Martin's sixth over, and shaped to smash another off-drive from a good length delivery on the next ball only to succeed in getting an edge to McCullum.

Martin has one wicket for 14 runs off eight economical overs.

New Zealand had resumed at the Basin Reserve on 335 for seven with Nathan Astle on 65 and Franklin on two, but failed to add to their overnight score when Astle was caught by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin off Daren Powell to the fourth ball of the morning.

Franklin and Mills, both of whom have scored centuries at first-class level with the left-handed Franklin having a double century to his name, frustrated the West Indies bowlers for almost an hour in a 37-run ninth-wicket partnership.

Edwards, however, was brought back into the attack and wrapped up the innings in his second over of the day when Mills nicked an attempted hook shot to Ramdin.

Martin was then comprehensively bowled off the next ball, giving Edwards the possibility of a split hat-trick when New Zealand bat again.

Franklin was left on 28 not out, while Powell finished with four for 83.

New Zealand lead the three-test series 1-0.

REUTERS VJ RAI0720