SOUTHAMPTON, June 20

Kyle Jamieson wrecked India with the ball and opener Devon Conway compiled a half-century to put New Zealand in a commanding position in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) today.

Jamieson claimed 5/31, his fifth five-wicket haul in his eighth Test, to help bowl out India for a below-par 217.

New Zealand reached 101/2, 116 runs behind, when bad light forced early stumps.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, batting on 12, and Ross Taylor, who was yet to score, will return on Monday looking to push for a significant first-innings lead.

Earlier, resuming on 146/3, India fell short of the 250-mark which they believed would be a par total at this ground. Jamieson, often using his 6’8” frame to generate extra bounce, picked up the prize wickets of a set Virat Kohli and the dangerous Rishabh Pant to effectively snuff out any such hopes.

India captain Kohli could not add to his overnight score of 44 and fell lbw, a decision he got reviewed but not overturned. Pant made four before perishing in the slips after a wild slash at an away-swinging delivery.

Ajinkya Rahane made a dogged 49 but fell to a leg-side trap, pulling Neil Wagner to Tom Latham who had just been deployed at midwicket precisely for that kind of dismissal. Ravichandran Ashwin made 22 but Jamieson returned to mow down the tail even though Mohammed Shami denied him a hat-trick. India lost their last three wickets in four deliveries.

New Zealand mounted a strong reply with Latham, who scored 30, and Conway adding 70 runs for the opening stand. Ashwin finally broke the stand, deceiving Latham with change of pace, but Conway could not be denied his fifty. The left-hander made 54 before chipping Ishant Sharma to Shami at mid-on in the final over. — Reuters

Scoreboard

India 1st innings (Overnight 146/3)

R Sharma c Southee b Jamieson 34

S Gill c Watling b Wagner 28

C Pujara lbw b Boult 8

V Kohli lbw b Jamieson 44

A Rahane c Latham b Wagner 49

R Pant c Latham b Jamieson 4

R Jadeja c Watling b Boult 15

R Ashwin c Latham b Southee 22

I Sharma c Taylor b Jamieson 4

J Bumrah lbw b Jamieson 0

M Shami not out 4

Extras: (lb 3, nb 2) 5

Total: (all out, 92.1 overs) 217

FOW: 1-62, 2-63, 3-88, 4-149, 5-156, 6-182, 7-205, 8-213, 9-213

Bowling O M R W

Tim Southee 22 6 64 1

Trent Boult 21.1 4 47 2

Kyle Jamieson 22 12 31 5

Colin de Grandhomme 12 6 32 0

Neil Wagner 15 5 40 2

New Zealand 1st innings

T Latham c Kohli b Ashwin 30

D Conway c Shami b I Sharma 54

K Williamson not out 12

R Taylor not out 0

Extras: (lb 3, nb 2) 5

Total: (2 wickets, 49 overs) 101

FOW: 1-70, 2-101

Bowling O M R W

Ishant Sharma 12 4 19 1

Jasprit Bumrah 11 3 34 0

Mohammed Shami 11 4 19 0

Ravichandran Ashwin 12 5 20 1

Ravindra Jadeja 3 1 6 0