Dominant New Zealand leads the West Indies by runs at lunch on day 4 of the 3rd test

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MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand quickly wrapped up the West Indies tail on the fourth morning Sunday to take a 155-run first innings lead in the third test.

By lunch New Zealand was 35-0 after 11 overs and had increased its lead to 189. Devon Conway was 25 not out and Tom Latham was 5.

The West Indies resumed at 381-6 and lost their last four wickets in just over 15 overs in the first hour to be all out for 420 in reply to New Zealand's 575-8 declared.

Kevam Hodge remained not out on 123, his second test century and highest score.

The question now is how hard New Zealand will push to win the match on a pitch which is beginning to crack and plate. New Zealand already leads the three-match series 1-0 after the first test was drawn and after winning the second test by nine wickets.

New Zealand's best hope would be to increase its lead by as much as possible by close to stumps and leave itself a full day to bowl out the West Indies for a second time. The match meandered a little on the second day when New Zealand managed to capture only six West Indies wickets while the tourists added 281 runs.

Jacob Duffy, the workhorse of the New Zealand attack, took two wickets including the key wicket of Shai Hope in the first four overs Sunday to hurry the end of the West Indies' innings. Hope batted at No. 9 after being absent for most of the second and third days with an unspecified illness.

Duffy bowled more than 60 overs in the first test, more than 36 overs in the second test and 35 overs in the West Indies first innings as the tireless spearhead of New Zealand's depleted attack. The hosts are without Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith and Kyle Jamieson all of whom are recovering from injuries.

Duffy so far has taken two five-wicket bags in the series and a total of 18 wickets in the series at an average of 17.3, including 4-86 in the current match.

New Zealand only used the light roller between innings, indicating concern the heavy roller might open up the cracks already evident in the surface at Bay Oval.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket