West Indies win toss, bowl in 1st test vs. New Zealand

West Indies captain Jason Holder won an important toss and chose to bowl Thursday on the first day of the first cricket test against New Zealand at Seddon Park.

The toss was delayed by two hours because of rain which saturated the playing area. The first session now will begin at 1 p.m. local time but extended playing hours mean little play will be lost.

New Zealand named opening batsman Will Young to make a delayed test debut in place of injured wicketkeeper B.J. Watling. Tom Blundell, who recently has opened with Tom Latham, will drop down the order and keep wicket.

Young was selected to make his debut in a test against Bangladesh in Christchurch last year. But the match was canceled because of the terrorist attack on two mosques in the South Island city.

The 28-year-old recently made a century and half century for New Zealand A against West Indies A.

Allrounder Daryl Mitchell will also play in an all-seam attack.

The West Indies welcomed back Dwayne Bravo who missed their mid-year tour to England and named Jermaine Blackwood ahead of Shimrom Hetmeyer.

New Zealand is looking to its home series against the West Indies and Pakistan to improve its standing in the World Test Championship. Clean sweeps of both series would greatly strengthen its chances of playing in the final at Lord’s.

The West Indies will be chasing their first test win in New Zealand since 1995.

___

New Zealand: Tom Latham, Will Young, Kane Williamson (captain), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult.

West Indies: John Campbell, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Jermaine Blackwood, Shane Dowrich, Jason Holder (captain), Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel.

Umpires: Wayne Knights and Chris Gaffaney, New Zealand.

TV umpire: Chris Brown, New Zealand. Match referee: Ashley Mehrotra, New Zealand.

Image credits: Twitter / @ICC