Mark Craig leads Black Caps to triumph over Windies
Off-spinner claims eight-wicket haul in one match on his debut as New Zealand win first test
Mark Craig's dream debut culminated in a 186-run victory for New Zealand in the first cricket test against the West Indies at Sabina Park in Kingston.
The off-spinner claimed four second innings wickets to finish with eight in the match as the home side crumbled to 216 all out after being set a target of 403.
"This is a dream come true. It surely doesn't get any better than this," was Craig's reaction on being the man of the match.
It all went wrong for us in the first innings when three of our top six didn't get a score
There was an unexpected late flourish by the West Indies last-wicket pair as last man Shane Shillingford belted the fastest-ever half-century by a Caribbean cricketer in tests and dominated a record tenth-wicket partnership against New Zealand of 82.
Yet it only delayed the inevitable with New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum summoning Kane Williamson for the last over of the day.
He duly obliged by having Benn caught at the wicket to trigger celebrations among the Black Caps at only their second victory in 16 test matches in the West Indies.
Craig's four for 97 complimented the early double strike by Tim Southee after McCullum declared his team's second innings at 156 for eight, an effort highlighted by opening batsman Tom Latham's battling 73, his second half-century of the match.