Pacers give West Indies strong start on rain-hit Day 1

West Indies' pace battery gave a good account of themselves as they picked eight of the nine wickets to fall on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

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Justin Greaves celebrates the wicket

More than an hour was lost to rain in the morning session but the weather cleared from the second session on, allowing for 70 overs of action. Kemar Roach made a strong return to action, while debutant Ojay Shields and Justin Greaves too complimented him as the trio picked two wickets each to keep New Zealand in check all day.

Roston Chase chose to bowl in gloomy conditions and comeback man Roach struck straight away. In the first over of the day, he had got Devon Conway to nick a ball that nipped away from the left-hander, to Greaves at second slip. Midway through the fourth over, the players were forced off the field by showers that persisted for long. When play resumed, only seven more overs were possible before it began to rain again and brought an end to the session, with New Zealand on 17 for 1.