Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took two wickets and a stunning return catch as the West Indies toiled towards a series-levelling victory by reducing New Zealand to 129-4 at lunch on day four Thursday of the second cricket test.

The Blacks Caps, who conceded a first-innings lead of 239 on day three, still trailed by 110 runs at Queen’s Park Oval.

Kane Williamson hit a top score of 52 before pacer Kemar Roach (1-34) made a telling breakthrough.

Ross Taylor was unbeaten on 28 at the break, while BJ Watling was yet to score. The determined partnership between Williamson and opener Tom Latham carried on for the first 45 minutes of the day, taking New Zealand from 73-1 overnight to 84 before Benn struck.

Latham gloved to silly point after a delivery from the left-armer reared off a good length. The left-hander scored 34 off 138 balls and his stand with Williamson was worth 75.

The West Indies had to wait another hour before they broke New Zealand’s resistance again as pacer Roach finally prized out Williamson, who spent 214 minutes at the crease. The right-hander hit five fours off 178 balls before nibbling outside the off stump and edging to wicketkeeper and skipper Denesh Ramdin.

Benn provided the highlight of the morning session just before the break, diving full length to his right to haul in a one-handed catch from Jimmy Neesham’s crunching drive. Neesham departed for 7, and Benn had 2-41.Earlier in the day, Jermaine Blackwood completed a half-century on debut to put West Indies in control of the second Test against New Zealand in Trinidad on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Jamaican celebrated his call up to the Test team with a well-crafted 63 at Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of- Spain.

Blackwood also shared a vital 76-run partnership for the eighth wicket with his captain Denesh Ramdin (32), helping West Indies finish with an impressive first innings total of 460 after they resumed the third day on 310 for five.

“It was a pretty wonderful feeling going out there,” Blackwood said. “In the first over I felt a bit nervous but then I started to play a bit (more freely).

Blackwood was given a life on 11 when Latham failed to hold a low catch at short leg and went to reach his half-century off 93 balls.

Brief Scores: New Zealand 221 (Tom Latham 82; Jerome Taylor 4-34, Sulieman Benn 3-73) and 129-4 (Kane Williamson 52, Tom Latham 36; Sulieman Benn 2-41) vs. West Indies 460 (Kraigg Brathwaite 129, Darren Bravo 109, Jermaine Blackwood 63, Kirk Edwards 55; Ish Sodhi 4-96, Trent Boult 3-75).