Live updates: Blackcaps v West Indies, Second test, day three at Wellington

West Indies 244/6

Da Silva 25, Holder 60

Blackcaps 460 - Nicholls 174, Wagner 66, Young 43, Gabriel 3/93

West Indies 131 - Blackwood 69, Brooks 14, Southee 5/32, Jamieson 5/34, 

West Indies trail by 85

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Evening session

5:58pm - Play has officially been called off on day 3 of the 2nd cricket test. We will go to a fourth day. 

Play will start earlier at 10:32am on Monday morning to make up for the lost overs today. 

5:40pm - The umpires have checked the light meter and it's too dark to continue. Holder and Da Silva are happy to walk back for now. Play is delayed.

66th over - A change in the bowling for New Zealand with Trent Boult into the attack. 

After a dot ball to start the over, Da Silva pulls Boult through mid-wicket for a single. 

After a dot ball Holder edges one through the slips for a single.

The umpires have come together and have offered the West Indies batsman the chance to go off for bad light and they have taken it. 

65th over - A change in the bowling for New Zealand with Daryl Mitchell into the attack. 

Mitchell starts with a full toss on the pads and Da Silva flicks him down to fine leg for a single. 

Off the last ball of the over, Holder tries to be aggressive but gets a top edge and flies over mid-wicket but lands safe and they come back for two runs. (WI 242/6) 

64th over - Jamieson to continue. 

Jamieson starts with a full ball and Da Silva punches him away through the covers for two runs. 

Jamieson goes for the yorker and it flicks off the pad and the batsman scamper through for a leg bye. 

Jamieson goes for the bouncer but it's to high and it's called wide. 

Three dot balls to end the over. (WI 239/6)

63rd over - Wagner to continue to Holder who is one short of his first test 50 since he scord a double hundred against England in January 2019. 

Wagner goes short and Holder pulls him away for four to bring up his 50. A great innings from the West Indies skipper. 

After four dot balls, Wagner goes short and Holder pulls him away for four. Great shot and that will be drinks. (WI 235/6)

62nd over - Jamieson to continue with his 14th over. 

After four dot balls to start the over, Holder skews one down to fine leg for a single. 

Da Silva sees out the final ball of the over. (WI 227/6)

61st over - Wagner to continue with his 15th over. 

After five dot balls, Wagner goes short and Holder pulls him out through mid-wicket for a single. (WI 226/6)

60th over - Jamieson to continue to Da Silva. 

After three dot balls, Da Silva gets a leading edge that falls just short of point. 

Off the final ball of the over, Jamieson goes short and Da Silva pulls him away through mid-wicket for four. Great Shot. (WI 225/6)

59th over - Wagner to continue to Holder. 

After a dot ball to start the over, Wagner goes full and wide and Holder drives him through backward point for four runs. 

After two dot balls, Wagner goes short and Holder has comfortable pulled him away through mid-wicket for four to bring up the 50 partnership between Holder and Da Silva.

Eight runs from the over. (WI 221/6)

58th over - Another change in the bowling for the New Zealand, with Kyle Jamieson coming into the attack. 

After four dot balls to start the over, Da Silva punches Jamieson down the ground fro two runs. (Wi 213/6)

57th over - A change in the bowing for New Zealand with Neil Wagner into the attack. 

A good first over back from Wagner and it's a maiden. (WI 211/6)

56th over - Southee to continue with his 17th over. 

Southee starts with a short ball and Holder pulls him away in front of square and the batsman get back for two runs. 

After a dot ball, Holder pulls Southee down to fine leg for a single. 

Off the final ball of the over, Da Silva drives Southee through the covers for two runs. (WI 211/6)

55th over - Boult to continue to Holder. 

After two dot balls to start the over, Boult goes full and straight and Holder turns him out to square leg for a single. 

The next ball sees Boult go short and Da Silva pulls him away down to fine leg for two runs. (WI 206/6)

54th over - Southee to continue to Da Silva. 

After two dot balls to start the over, Southee goes short and Da Silva pulls him away through square leg for four. 

Southee goes short again and it hits Da Silva in the helment and runs away through the slips for four more. 

Two dot balls to end the over, eight runs coming from it. (WI 203/6)

53rd over - Boult to continue with his 14th over. 

After a dot ball to start the over, Da Silva turns Boult down to fine leg for a single.

Holder sees out the final four balls of the over. (WI 195/6)

52nd over - Southee to continue to Holder. 

A maiden over from Southee, which sees him go pat the bat of Holder on two occasions. (WI 194/6)

51st over - Boult to continue to Holder. The Blackcaps have a field set for short ball bowling.  

After a dot ball to start the over, Boult goes short and Holder goes after him and picks the gap down at fine leg for four runs. 

After two dot balls, there is an appeal for LBW. Boult goes full and straight and it crashes into the pads but unfortunately the late swing has taken it down leg.

Da Silva gets one on his pads and he flicks Boult down to fine leg for a single. (WI 194/6)

50th over - Southee to continue. 

The first ball sees Da Silva turn Southee to sqaure leg for a single. 

Southee goes short to Holder and he pulls him away over the square leg boundary for six. 

Another short ball from Southee and Holder goes after him again with a pull shot out to square leg for a single. 

Da Silva sees out the final three balls of the over. (WI 187/6)

49th over - Boult to continue to Blackwood.

OUT - Boult goes with a full delivery and Blackwood goes for a dirty slog but has completly missed it and the ball crashes into middle stump. A very soft dismissle for Blackwood. 

Blackwood b Boult 24 (33)

Joshua Da Silva is the next man in. 

Da Silva gets off the mark with a perfect drive down the ground for three runs. 

Boult goes short and Holder smashes him over fine leg for six. (WI 179/6)

48th over - Tim Southee to bowl the second over after tea. 

After three dot balls to start the over, Southee goes to short and Blackwood cuts him away through point for three runs. 

Off the final ball of the over, Holder skews one away through backward point and it runs away for four. (WI 170/5)

47th over - Blackwood and Holder return to the crease for the West Indies and Trent Boult has ball in hand. 

After three dot balls, Blackwood skews one out to cover for a single  to get the first runs of the evening session.

Holder clips Boult away off his pads for four through square leg. (WI 163/5)

4:00pm - The players are making their way back out onto the field for the final session of the day. Could this be the final session of the match with the Blackcaps needing another five wickets to wrap up the contest. 

Tea

46th over - A change in the bowling for New Zealand with Daryl Mitchell coming into the attack for his first over of the test match for the last over before tea. 

After two dot balls, Blackwood tuns Mitchell down to fine leg for a single. 

Holder sees out the final three balls of the over and that will be tea. New Zealand got three wickets from their 25 overs with the West indies putting on 85 runs. (WI 158/5)

45th over - Boult to continue to Holder

Boult starts with an inswinging delivery that Holder Skews out through midwicket for two runs. 

Holder pulls Boult away through mid-wicket for two more runs. 

A full length delivery from Boult which Holder defends him through the gully area for two runs. 

The next ball sees Holder pull Boult away through square leg for four runs. (WI 157/5)

44th over - Jameison to continue with his 11th over with only ten minutes till tea. 

Jamieson starts with a short ball and Blackwood pulls him away for two runs to square leg. 

The next ball sees Blackwood drive Jamieson through the covers for two runs. 

Blackwood goes aggressively again and gets a leading edge and it flies over gully and away for four. (WI 147/5)

43rd over - Boult to continue to Blackwood. 

After three dot balls, Blackwood pulls Boult away through midwicket for three runs. 

Holder sees out the final two balls of the over. (WI 139/5)

42nd over - Kyle Jamieson to continue to Holder. 

After four dot balls, there is a big shout for LBW but it's given not out for an inside edge. 

Another maiden over for Jamieson. (WI 136/5)

41st over - A change of bowling for New Zealand with Trent Boult coming into the attack. It looks like the Blackcaps are going in for the kill. 

After two dot balls, Boult gets one to swing late and has clipped Blackwood on the pads. There is a big shout for LBW but it's given not out. New Zealand decide not to review. 

Off the last ball of the over, Blackwood tries to smash Boult over cover point but gets only a leading edge and it lands safe. Blackwood will come back for two runs. (WI 136/5)

40th over - Jamieson to continue to Campbell. 

After two dot balls to start the over, Jamieson gets one to swing into Campbell and it's struck him on the pad. There is a big shout for LBW but turned down for pitching outside leg stump. 

OUT - Campbell makes a late decision to leave the ball but he's edged it back onto his stumps. So unlucky for Campbell who has played a great innings. 

Campbell b Jamieson 68 (109)

The next man in is West Indies captain Jason Holder who survives the final two balls of the over. (WI 134/5)

39th over - Wagner to continue with his ninth over on the trot.

After two dot balls to start the over, Campbell turns Wagner off his hip for a single out to midwicket.  

Blackwood sees out the final four balls of the over. (WI 134/4)

38th over - Jamieson to continue to Campbell. 

After two dot balls to start the over, Jamieson goes short and Campbell plays a controlled pull shot out to sqaure leg for a single. 

OUT - Chase nightmare match against Jamieson continues. Jamieson puts one on a shortish length and Chase prods at it. It catches the edge and Latham takes a simple catch. 

Chase c Latham b Jamieson 0 (7)

Jermaine Blackwood is the next man in. 

Blackwood is aggressive with his first and he tries to smash Jamieson down the ground but doesn't get all of it but enough for a two runs. (WI 133/4)

37th over - Wagner to continue to Chase. 

Wagner starts with a full delivery that swings in late with a bit of extra bounce and crashes into the pads. There is a big shout for LBW but there is a bit of extra bounce which saves Chase as replays show the ball would be going over the top. 

Chase survives the over but still sits on a pair, which means two scores of zero. (WI 130/3)

36th over - Jamieson to continue to Campbell.

A maiden over for Jamieson his second of the innings. (WI 130/3)

35th over - Wagner to continue to Campbell.

Wagner starts with an overpitched delivery and Campbell drives him through the covers for four. 

The next ball sees Wagner goes short and Campbell pulls him through square leg for a single. 

After two dot balls, Wagner over pitches and Brooks drives him again through the covers for four. 

OUT - A ball on full length from Wagner sees Brooks push at it. It catches the edge and Watling takes a stunning diving catch. 

Brooks c Watling b Wagner 36 (72)

Roston Chase is the next man in. (WI 130/3)

34th over - A change in the bowling for New Zealand with Kyle Jamieson into the attack.

After a dot ball to start the over, Campbell turns one to square leg to take a quick single. Latham has a shy at the stumps but misses. If he had hit Campbell would've been gone. 

Four dot balls to end the over and that will be drinks. (WI 121/2)

33rd over - Neil Wagner to continue who is still looking for his first wicket of the test match. 

After a dot ball to start the over, Wagner goes wide outisde off-stump and Brooks drives him through backward point for four runs. 

The next ball sees a big shout for LBW. Wagner hits the back pad and the umpire gave it not out. The Blackcaps decide not to review but replays show if they had the decision would have been over turned. 

Wagner goes full and wide and Brooks smashes him through backward point for four runs. (WI 120/2)

32nd over - Tim Southee to continue to Campbell. 

After a dot ball to start the over, Southee goes short and Campbell gets a top edge and it flies over the top of the slip cordon and the batsman come back for two runs. 

Southee goes short again but its not short enough and Campbell smashes him for four through square leg tobring up his highest test score. 

Off the last ball of the over, Campbell pushes one through the covers for two runs. (WI 112/2)

31st over - Wagner to continue to Campbell. 

Wagner goes short but it's not short enough and Campbell has smashed him through square leg for four. 

Wagner goes short again and Campbell this time goes over the top over square leg and it races away for four. Two great shots from Campbell which brings up his second test 50. A great innings so far from Campbell. 

After a dot ball Wagner goes short again and Campbell fends him off down to fine leg for a single. (WI 104/2)

30th over - Southee to continue with his 11th over. 

A big shout for LBW as Southee gets one to swing back in and it hits the front pad but it's given not out. The Blackcaps decide not to review. 

After three dot balls, Campbell turn on to wide mid-on and the batsman scamper through a quick single. (WI 95/2)

29th over - Wagner to continue to Campbell. 

After three dot balls to start the over, Wagner goes short and Campbell pulls him down to fine leg for a single. 

Two dot balls to end the over, there is a big shout for caught behind but the umpire has given not out. The Blackcaps decide to review and replays shows it's come off the back pad. (WI 94/2)

28th over - Southee to continue to Campbell. 

After two dot balls to start the over, Campbell gets an inside edge that almost takes out his leg stumps and Brooks sprints through for a quick single. 

Three dot balls to end the over. (WI 93/2)

27th over - Wagner to continue Campbell. 

Wagner goes short at the body of Campbell who tucks him down to fine leg for a single. 

Five dot balls to end the Wagner over. (WI 92/2)

26th over - Southee to continue to Campbell. 

After a dot ball to start the over, Campbell clips one down to fine leg for a single. 

Southee goes onto the pads of Brooks who tries to flick him into the leg side but skews out to the cover region for a single.

The next ball sees Campbell turn Southee down to fine leg for a single to bring up the 50 run partnership between Campbell and Brooks. (WI 91/2)

25th over - Wagner to continue to Campbell. 

Campbell pushes Wagner through backward point for two runs. 

Campbell turns Wagner down to fine leg for a single.

Four dot balls to end the Wagner over. (WI 88/2)

24th over - Southee to continue to Campbell. 

Campbell pushes one through mid-wicket. It slightly aerial but in the gap and they come back for two runs. 

Southee goes wide and Campbell crunches him through backward point and it races away for four. Terrific shot from Campbell. 

The last ball of the over sees Campbell tuck Southee off his hips down to fine leg for a single. (WI 85/2)

23rd over - Neil Wagner to bowl the second over after lunch. 

After a dot ball to start the over, Brooks pushes Wagner down the ground for a single.

The fourth ball of the over sees Campbell punch Wagner through the covers for a single. (WI 78/2)

22nd over - Shamarh Brooks and John Campbell are back at the crease. Tim Southee has ball in hand and will bowl to Brooks first up.

After three two dot balls, Brooks punches Southee through mid-off, Boult misfields and allows the batsman to come through for two runs. 

The last ball of the over sees Brooks push one through gully for a single. (WI 76/2)

1:40pm - The players are making their way back onto the field for the afternoon session. Can the West Indies dig in and make the home side really work for thir wickets or will the Blackcaps continue to pick up easy wickets. 

*****

Lunch

21st over - Wagner to bowl the final over of the morning session to Campbell.

Avery nervy over from Campbell who is fighting to get through to lunch. 

Campbell survives the final over of the session. (WI 73/2)

20th over - Southee to continue with three minutes till lunch. If the Blackcaps are quick they might get one more over after this one. 

Southee starts full but on the pads of Campbell flicks Southee through square leg for three runs.

Southee goes to full and straight and Brooks picks him and flicks him over the square leg boundary for six. 

A dot ball to end the over and there will be time for one more over. (WI 73/2) 

19th over - Wagner to continue to Brooks with seven minutes till lunch. 

Another uneventful over for the Blackcaps with the West Indies starting to show a lot of patience. 

It's another maiden, the second on the trot. (WI 64/2)

18th over - Tim Southee to continue with 12 minutes till lunch. Should be enough time for three more overs. 

An uneventful over from Southee and it's a maiden, his third of the innings from five his five overs. (WI 64/2)

17th over - Another change in the bowling for the Blackcaps with Neil Wagner coming into the attack. 

After a dot ball to start the over, Wagner gets one to swing away late but it goes into the pads of Brooks who flicks Wagner down to fine leg for two runs. 

Four dot balls, to end the over. (WI 64/2)

16th over - A change in the bowling for the Blackcaps with Tim Southee back into the attack.

 After a dot ball to start the over, Brooks turns Southee through square leg for a single. 

Off the fourth ball of the over, Campbell opens the face of the bat and glances Southee through backward point for two runs. (WI 61/2)

15th over - Jamieson to continue. 

An uneventful over from Jamieson and it's a maiden. (WI 59/2)

14th over - Boult to continue to Brooks. 

The first ball of the over sees Brooks drive Boult down the ground for two runs. 

The next ball sees Brooks drive Boult through the covers for two more runs. 

Brooks skews one through the gully area and it finds the gap and Brooks gets two more runs.

The last ball of the over, Boult goes onto the pads of Brooks who flicks him down to the fine leg boundary for four. (WI 59/2)

13th over - Kyle Jamieson to continue to Campbell. 

After a dot ball to start the over, Campbell drives Jamieson and it squirted to the boundary for four. 

The next balls, sees Campbell go for a expansive drive but can't make contact. 

The last ball of the over is full and wide and Campbell drives Jamieson through the covers for four. (WI 49/2)

12th over - Trent Boult to continue.

OUT - Boult goes full and straight and Brathwaite tries to flick him down to fine leg but Will Young takes a great catch low down to his right at leg gully. It was great  anticipation.

Brathwaite c Young b Boult 24 (42) 

Darren Bravo is the next man in who really needs a score for his confidence. 

Bravo starts with an edge through third slip and races down to the third man boundary for four.  

OUT - Boult goes short and Bravo goes all tangled up. Tries to duck it but it's come off the bat and lopped to Nicholls at gully who takes the easy catch. That just sums up Bravo's tour and it's a slow walk back for the experienced batsman. 

Bravo c Nicholls, b Boult 4 (3)

Shanarh Brooks is the next man in and he sees out the final two balls of the over. (WI 41/2)

11th over - Jamieson to continue to Brathwaite. 

After two dot balls to start the over, Jamieson over pitches and Brathwaite drives him through the covers for three runs. 

Three dot balls to end the over. (WI 37/0)

10th over - Boult to continue with his fifth over.

After a dot ball to start the over, Campbell turns Jamieson down to fine leg for a single. 

Boult goes for a full inswinging yorker and Brathwaite flicks him through square leg for a two runs. 

The next ball sees Brathwaite nudge Boult down to fine leg for a single. (WI 34/0)

Ninth over - Jamieson to continue. 

After two do balls, Brathwaite shuffle across his stumps and flicks one off his pads down to the fine leg boundary for four. 

Off the last ball of the over, Brathwaite edges Jamieson down through third slip for four. (WI 30/0) 

Eighth over - Boult to continue to Campbell. 

After three dot balls, Campbell tries to leave a ball just outisde off-stump but it grabs the edge and just misses his stumps and goes down to fine leg for two runs. 

Campbell edges one through third slip and gully area and it races down to the boundary for four. (WI 22/0)

Seventh over - A change of bowling for New Zealand, Kyle Jamieson into the attack. 

After five dot balls, Brathwaite turns Jamieson to square leg and Wagner fumbles and allows West Indies to come through for two runs. (WI 16/0)

Sixth over - Trent Boult to continue. 

Boult starts to straight and Campbell has flicked him off his pads through mid-wicket for three runs. 

After two dot balls, Brathwaite flicks Boult off his pads down to fine leg for two runs. 

The next ball sees Brathwaite push Boult through cover for a single. (WI 14/0)

Fifth over - Southee to continue looking for his third maiden and the teams third maiden on the trot. 

After 17 dot balls in a row, Southee goes to full and Brathwaite has driven him straight down the ground for four to end the over. (WI 8/0)

Fourth over - Boult to continue to Campbell.

After three dot balls, Boult goes full and gets it to swing away late. Campbell goes to drive but the swing means it goes past the outside edge. 

Off the last ball of the over, Boult gets one to swing away late. Campbell misses it and it crashes into the pads. The umpire gives it not out but New Zealand have reviewed it. Replays have show the ball is missing the leg stump. (WI 4/0)

Third over - Southee to continue to Brathwaite. 

Another maiden over for Southee his second on the trot to start the innings. (WI 4/0)

Second over - Trent Boult to bowl the second over of the innings. 

Campbell pushes Boult out through the covers for two runs to get the scoring underway. 

A big shout for LBW with Boult getting one to swing in late but it's hit Campbell outside off stump so not out. 

Campbell drives Boult down the ground for a single. 

Off the last ball of the over, Brathwaite turns Boult down to fine leg for a single to get himself off the mark. (WI 4/0)

First over - Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell make their way out for the visitors who will be fighting to restore some pride for this West Indies side. Tim Southee has ball in hand. 

Southee starts with a maiden to Brathwaite. (WI 0/0)

57th over - Tim Southee to continue. 

Gabriel tries to smash down the ground but doesn't time it and it loops over mid-n and they will come through for two runs. 

OUT - Southee goes full and straight and it comes off the pads of Gabriel's pads and crashes into middle stump. That is five wickets for Southee to go with five wickets for Jamieson. 

Gabriel b Southee 2 (6)

The follow-on has been enforced so the West Indies will come out to bat again in about 10 minutes. 

56th over - Trent Boult to continue. 

After two dot balls, Boult goes full to Holder and he drives him down the ground for a two runs. 

Three dot balls end the over. (WI 129/9)

55th over - A change of bowling already for New Zealand with Tim Southee coming into the attack. Very strange that Wagner only got the one over. 

After two dot balls, Holder skews one out to fine leg for a single. 

OUT - Southee goes full and just outside off-stump. Da Silva makes a late decision to leave it but it's clipped the edge on the way through and Watling takes the easy catch. 

Da Silva c Watling b Southee 3 (25)

Shannon Gabriel is the last man in and survives the final two balls of the over. (WI 127/9)

54th over - Trent Boult to bowl the second over of the day. 

After five dot balls to start the over, Da Silva tires to sneak a quick single to keep the strike and protect his fallow batsman but the Blackcaps get in quick to stop any single. 

A maiden over to start for Boult. (WI 126/8)

53rd over - Chemar Holder and Joshua Da Silva make their way out for the West Indies and Neil Wagner has ball in hand with Da Silva to face the opening ball of the days play.

After three dot balls, the third umpire calls Wagner for a no ball to give the West Indies the first runs of the days play. 

Wagner goes short and Da Silva pulls him out to the square leg boundary for a single to keep the strike for the next over. (WI 126/8) 

11:00am - The players are making their way out onto the field for the opening session fo day three. 

10:43am - It's another beautiful day in the capital for test cricket. Mostly blues skies will greet the players but there are some clouds around, which will assist the bowlers. Surprisingly for Wellington, there is no wind. It will be a little chilly with a high of only 15 degrees today. 

Chemar Holder and Da Silva will resume for the West Indies who still need another 136 runs to avoid the follow-on and trail New Zealand by 336 runs. 

The Blackcaps will be hoping to wrap up the tail quickly and potentially look to put the visitors back in. 

*****

Kia ora, good morning and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the second cricket test between New Zealand and West Indies at Wellington's Basin Reserve.

Entering the third day, the Blackcaps are well in command, after scoring 460 runs in their first innings and having their rivals staggering at 124/8 in reply - still 136 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.

Middle-order specialist Henry Nicholls and tailender Neil Wagner dominated with the bat on day two, putting on 95 runs off 73 balls for the ninth wicket. Both brought up career-best test scores, with Nicholls dismissed for 174 and Wagner unbeaten on 66 - his first half century at this level.

In reply, towering fast bowler Kyle Jamieson had the West Indian batsmen in fits, taking the wickets with consecutive balls of opener John Campbell and Roston Chase with consecutive balls, and narrowly missing out on leg-before-wicket reviews against Jermaine Blackwood with his next two deliveries. 

The Windies will resume their innings on Sunday, with wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva and fellow debutant Chemar Holder at the wicket, trying to stave off another innings defeat.

New Zealand: Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Will Young, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Daryl Mitchell, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult

West Indies: Kraigg Braithwaite, John Campbell, Darren Bravo, Shamrah Brooks, Roston Chase, Jermaine Blackwood, Jason Holder, Joshua da Silva, Alzarri Joseph, Chemar Holder, Shannon Gabriel

TAB: NZ $1.001, Draw $28, West Indies $211

Blackcaps batting legend Taylor dumped for Pakistan T20 series

Veteran New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor has been dropped for the Twenty20 series against Pakistan, while star fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has fallen to a lower back injury that threatens his short term future.

Captain Kane Williamson and front-line bowler Trent Boult have been recalled, after they were rested for last month's series against West Indies.

Taylor's omission is the result of spectacular middle-order form from Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips, says selector Gavin Larsen.

"This was, as you'd imagine, a very tough decision, as Ross has been a consistent performer for us," Larsen says. "But unfortunately we just couldn't find room in the squad for him, due to the quality and form of the other batsmen."

Taylor went scoreless in two T20 appearances against the Windies, run out without scoring in the first and not required to face a ball in the second.

Ross Taylor celebrates a half century for the Blackcaps
Ross Taylor celebrates a half century for the Blackcaps. Photo credit: Getty

But he won the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal as New Zealand's cricket player of the year last season, when he became the first man to play 100 international matches in T20, one-day and test formats.

Taylor, 36, has targeted retirement after next year's T20 World Cup in India, but this omission sends a warning that his days in the shortest form may be numbered.

Williamson's inclusion for the second and third match only depends on the birth of his first child, which saw him withdraw from the current second test against West Indies in Wellington.

Mitchell Santner will captain the side for the first match on December 18 in Auckland, with Williamson potentially returning for the other two games on December 20 in Hamilton and December 22 in Napier.

Pace bowlers Ferguson and Hamish Bennett have also both been ruled out of the series with injuries, ensuring a first call-up for Jacob Duffy.

Scans revealed that Ferguson has a stress fracture in his back, while Bennett was ruled out with an abdominal tear.

Ferguson tore West Indies apart in their T20 opener at Auckland, taking 5/21 and named Player of the Series.

"The injury to Lockie is obviously a concern, considering what he brings to our bowling attack and we're awaiting more information around his rehabilitation," says Larsen.

None of the players currently involved in the second test in Wellington will be available for the first Twenty20 game.

New Zealand Twenty20 squads

First match - Mitchell Santner (captain), Todd Astle, Doug Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner

Second & Third Matches - Kane Williamson (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee

Reuters/Newshub