Chanderpaul helped Nash (right) reach his maiden Test fifty

Shivnarine Chanderpaul's 20th Test century helped West Indies reach 258-6 after the first day of the second Test against New Zealand in Napier.

Visiting captain Chris Gayle won the toss and batted first, and he had made 34 of the Windies' first 43 runs before he was caught behind off Iain O'Brien.

Three more wickets fell quickly but Chanderpaul and newcomer Brendan Nash (74) added 163 for the fifth wicket.

And Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 100, from 224 balls, at the close.

Gayle's early flurry preceded a mini-collapse as Ramnaresh Sarwan was also caught behind and Xavier Marshall nudged O'Brien to Jesse Ryder at third slip.

Opener Sewnarine Chattergoon had made only 13 runs in 115 minutes before falling to a superb reflex catch by Jamie How at second slip off Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori's left-arm spin.

Nash had come in with his side reeling at 74-4 but the defiant Chanderpaul lived up to his billing as the top-ranked Test player in the world as he proved to be an immovable object for the Black Caps.

606: DEBATE Ramdin is letting West Indies down time and time again, my patience with Chattergoon is also running out bidhan

Australia-born left-hander Nash, playing only his second Test, proved an able foil and reached his first Test 50 before falling to James Franklin five overs before the close when he mistimed a drive to short cover.

Keeper Dinesh Ramdin fell cheaply but Jerome Taylor, who scored his maiden Test century in the first Test, was there with Chanderpaul at stumps.

With key all-rounder Jacob Oram still sidelined with a calf strain, New Zealand brought in Jeetan Patel as a second spinner in place of seamer Mark Gillespie.

West Indies also made one change, with slow left-armer Sulieman Benn earning his third Test cap in place of Lionel Baker.

The match at McLean Park will decide the series after the opening Test in Dunedin ended in a rain-affected draw.

Meanwhile, New Zealand have named uncapped Central Districts left-arm seamer Ewen Thompson in a 13-man squad for their two upcoming Twenty20 internationals against the Windies.

Compared to their last one-day squad (which faced Bangladesh in October), Thompson and fellow left-arm seamer James Franklin replace batsman Jamie How, all-rounder Grant Elliott, reserve wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins and seamers Chris Martin and Michael Mason in the squad.

New Zealand squad for Twenty20 internationals v West Indies: Daniel Vettori (capt), Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Mark Gillespie, Brendon McCullum (wk), Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jeetal Patel, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Ewen Thompson.

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