MOUNT MAUNGANUI (New Zealand) (Reuters/AFP) – New Zealand rode Devon Conway's career-best 227 to amass 575-8 before declaring their first innings on day two of the third and final Test here on Friday.
West Indies cruised to 110 for no loss in reply, still 465 behind and with a mountain to climb despite the breezy start, but openers John Campbell, on 45, and Brandon King, on 55, have looked comfortable against both pace and spin.
New Zealand are 1-0 ahead in the three-Test series.
"I think ultimately, it's a pretty good wicket," New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra said. "Hopefully it starts to wear and tear a little more and has a bit of turn."
After a punishing day one when they bled 334 runs for the sole wicket of Tom Latham, West Indies suffered a setback when pace spearhead Kemar Roach was ruled out of second day's play with a hamstring issue.
Jayden Seales removed nightwatchman Jacob Duffy, and Justin Greaves later nicked off Kane Williamson for 31 to spark a brief West Indies fightback.
Conway provided the bedrock of the New Zealand innings, converting his overnight 178 into his Test-best 227, compiled from 367 balls with 31 fours before Greaves trapped him lbw.
Ravindra (72) and Ajaz Patel (30) produced unbeaten cameos before New Zealand declared their innings.
New Zealand's hopes of making early inroads into the West Indies batting order did not materialise, with King and Campbell going after the hosts' attack in the final 23 overs of the day's play.
Opener Devon Conway's epic 227 on Friday led New Zealand to declare their first innings at 575-8 during the final session of day two of the third Test against the West Indies at Mount Maunganui.
A late flurry of hitting from Rachin Ravindra, who made 75, and recalled spinner Ajaz Patel, who lofted two sixes in the final over before ending on 30 from 30 balls, saw New Zealand through to a daunting total.
Three West Indian bowlers took two wickets each, Justin Greaves the pick with 2-83 from 29 overs, while Jayden Seales had 2-100 and Anderson Phillip 2-154.
The declaration left New Zealand's attack with 23 overs to bowl at the West Indies top order before the close in fading light.
The West Indies will have to survive the rest of Friday without their best batsman, former captain Shai Hope, who remained at the team hotel with illness.
Seamer Kemar Roach was also a doubt to bat due to a pulled hamstring.
The battered West Indian bowling corps did show some fight after lunch, led by a sharp and accurate spell from Seales.
He trapped Conway lbw to make it 432-4 and the West Indies removed two more batsmen as New Zealand went to tea at 508-6.
Glenn Phillips lost his battle with Phillip after tea, edging to first slip, and Zak Foulkes was bowled by a peach of a ball clipping the top of off stump.
New Zealand had resumed after lunch at 424-3 at lunch, looking to punish an under-strength West Indian attack missing Roach.
Dropped catches
The tourists did not help themselves in the field. Kavem Hodge dropped Conway when he was on 206, and Daryl Mitchell was shelled by Greaves at second slip when he was on nine.
Seales was first to strike in the afternoon, darting one past the inside edge of Conway and into the pads, a ball that would have clattered into middle and leg stumps.
Conway's three runs after lunch saw him go past the top score of his batting idol, Neil McKenzie, who made 226 for South Africa against Bangladesh in 2008.
Mitchell fell for 11, getting a thick edge down the legside from Roston Chase which was expertly taken by wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach.
Tom Blundell gave Seales his second wicket, when an attempted cut was edged to Imlach.
Devon Conway celebrates his double century.
Earlier, Conway powered to a second Test double century after he resumed the day on 178, with New Zealand 334-1.
He was quickly back in the groove as he drove his first ball of the day to the cover boundary for four.
He then knuckled down as the West Indian bowlers found good movement off a bouncy surface.
Jacob Duffy, who came in as a nightwatchman on Thursday evening in fading light, fell for 17, edging Jayden Seales to wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach.
Conway then brought up his second Test double-century -- his first since making 200 on debut in 2021 against England at Lord's -- cutting a Seales short ball to the point boundary.
His 200 came off 316 balls, with 28 fours, but he was dropped soon after reaching the milestone.
Greaves, who struck to remove Williamson just before lunch for 31, caught by Imlach.