An electric over by Kyle Jamieson has ripped the top off the West Indies batting order, sent the Basin Reserve crowd into fever pitch and seen two lbw reviews rejected – including one that would have bagged him a hat-trick.
The over, Jamieson's first, came after the West Indies werealready struggling at 29-2 following Tim Southee's beautifully controlled opening spell. Not one delivery passed without drama.
His first, to left-handed opener John Campbell, was taken down leg side by BJ Watling. The cordon all thought they'd heard a noise and appealed loudly but Jamieson was not interested.
His second delivery straightened and rapped Campbell on the pads. Another appeal followed, this time including the bowler, but umpire Chris Brown rightly saw an inside edge and captain Tom Latham was wise not to review. That wisdom would not hold.
Jamieson's third ball was a tempter too much for the West Indian who essayed a weak drive that caught the edge and was pocketed well by Latham.
Roston Chase's first delivery was a peach, swinging in late and disrupting the castle.
Kyle Jamieson came close to a hat-trick against the West Indies. Photo / Getty Images
On a hat-trick, Jamieson's next ball, this one to first-test centurion Jermaine Blackwood, was a brute, diving in late and smashing his pads. Everybody in the ground roared for the decision and that emotion might have swayed Jamieson and Latham, who called for a review but it was clearly missing.
Undeterred, Jamieson's final ball was also full, too full this time, but a rattled Blackwood missed it and this one looked out. Brown again declined the appeal, Latham again reviewed and this one was shown to be hitting, but in one of those curious laws, not hitting flush enough.
