Cricket: All to play for in slapstick test

Opener Daren Ganga is caught by Jamie How for 95 during day four of the first test yesterday. Jeff Brass / Getty Images

It says something about the quality of this four-part comedy that New Zealand and the West Indies will - somehow - still be in with a winning chance when the stalls re-open this morning.

After four days of slapstick and genuine pie-throwing hilarity, the opening test match has already exceeded expectations as entertainment and it only remains to be seen which team can deliver the ultimate punch-line today.

On the surface, it might seem New Zealand have more chance of securing the last two West Indian wickets than the tourists have of scoring the 45 runs needed to win, particularly given the availability of the second new ball.

But this has been an even contest in terms of ineptitude, a match highlighted by collapse and counter-collapse, wayward bowling, dropped catches and the regular sight of someone being hit square on the bonce.

Resuming at 48 without loss yesterday morning, and requiring another 243 to win on a relatively flat Eden Park pitch, the embattled tourists looked to have the result under control at 148 for none, before losing their next eight wickets for just 98 runs.

Nothing has appeared as it seems during this week's extravaganza, and the West Indies' apparent position of authority was eventually reduced to 246 for 8 at stumps, following some honest toil from fast-bowler Shane Bond, and part-timer Nathan Astle.

At a stage when it appeared the West Indies had a stranglehold, Astle was able to prise out opening batsman Chris Gayle, and Bond was able to account for key figures Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara in the space of two deliveries.

Bond forced Sarwan to retire hurt after hitting him in the head, and then bowled Lara around his legs to leave the West Indies' once-impressive looking chase a shade vulnerable.

It was a heady moment for Bond, who had also defeated Lara with the first ball he bowled at him in the first innings, and it was also the breakthrough New Zealand needed to force their way back into a low-quality contest.

It was only the hand of opening batsman Daren Ganga that kept them moving in the right direction, albeit with less assurance and composure.

The intelligent little right hander brought up his sixth test half-century off 138 balls and seemed relatively comfortable against all of the New Zealand bowlers, on a pitch that seemed to be improving with age.

But then skipper Shiv Chanderpaul lashed Daniel Vettori mindlessly to short mid-wicket, Ganga glided an Astle delivery to gully and was gone for 95, and Dwayne Smith was caught at first slip by Stephen Fleming.

Sarwan, who had retired hurt on 4, returned but lasted only two balls against Bond, and West Indian hopes were dealt a further blow when Dwayne Bravo was adjudged leg before, and then wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin was caught off Vettori.

The tourists will resume with Ian Bradshaw and Jerome Taylor at the wicket, and Vettori said last night he was well aware of the possible outcomes.

Bradshaw scored an unbeaten 71 for the ninth wicket with partner Courtney Browne, as his team beat England in the 2004 Champions Trophy.

"They still have a chance to win it so we can't say that the game's ours," Vettori said. "But we took the game away from them, as opposed to them losing it.

"They don't have a recognised batsman left but we're well aware of what Bradshaw did in the Champions Trophy final a couple of years ago, and he also proved a handy contributor with the bat during the recent one-day series."