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Narsingh Deonarine found the perfect formula of flight and variation as he bowled the West Indies into a match-winning position on Saturday – the third day of the second Digicel Test match at Sabina Park. The wily off-spinner recorded the best figures of his Test career as West Indies bowled out New Zealand for 154 in their second innings. Deonarine completed a marvellous spell with 4-37 off 22 overs – bettering his previous Test-best effort of 4-53 against Australia in Barbados in April. He was backed up by fellow off-spinner Sunil Narine, who took 3-19 and pacer Tino Best with 2-44.

Deonarine's effort left the Windies with 206 runs for victory. By the close the home side reached 135-4 – requiring another 71 for victory which would give them a 2-0 series win. Marlon Samuels led the batting with a polished 52 off 103 balls with seven delightful fours, to follow-up the career-best 123 he made in the first innings on Friday. The knock further demonstrated the class and maturity of the 31-year-old and took him to 589 runs in eight Test innings this year.

Deonarine started the day with two wickets and added two more in the morning session, as West Indies took eight wickets for 95 runs to dominate the day's play. He has been outstanding with the ball this year and has so far taken 15 wickets in six Test matches at an impressive average of 19 runs each.

The West Indies chase started with Chris Gayle smashing Trent Boult over cover for 6 in the very first over, but Boult got the powerhouse out in his very next over with a peach of a delivery that swung late and trapped Gayle plumb in front. Tim Southee made it a double strike by removing Kieron Powell in the very next over, also leg before with a full swinging delivery that the batsman played back to. At 20-2 the hosts were in a spot of bother but Samuels and Fudadin (27) dug them out of a hole by adding 74 runs for the third wicket, before the latter dragged a Doug Bracewell delivery back onto his stumps.

Resuming on Sunday will be the reliable Shiv Chanderpaul on 20 not out and nightwatchman Kemar Roach on 10 not out. They have so far put on 22 runs for the fifth wicket. Deonarine is next man in, but he backed the overnight pair to take the West Indies close to the required target.

"We have the best batsman at the crease and we all know what Shiv can do. He has done it many times before and he looks in the right touch to get the runs for us. Roach went in and played well, so I believe they can continue for us tomorrow and get the job done."

Mini Scorecard:

New Zealand 1st Innings 260 all out (82.5 overs, 3.13 rpo)
M Guptill 71 (174) K Roach 4-70
R Taylor 60 (100) T Best 2-40

West Indies 1st Innings 209 all out (64.3 overs, 3.24 rpo)
M Samuels 123 (169) T Boult 3-58
D Sammy 32 (29) D Bracewell 2-46

New Zealand 2nd Innings 154 all out (65.2 overs, 2.35 rpo)
M Guptill 42 (58) N Deonarine 4-37
D Brownlie 35 (66) S Narine 3-19

West Indies 2nd Innings 135-4 (43 overs, 3.13 rpo)
M Samuels 52 (103) T Boult 1-39
A Fadudin 27 (74) D Bracewell 1-26

West Indies need 71 runs to win

Photo © DigicelCricket.com/Brooks LaTouche