DUNEDIN, New Zealand (CMC):

Jerome Taylor fashioned a stunning, maiden Test hundred to transform the complexion of the rain-marred opening Test against New Zealand yesterday.

Taylor led a West Indies recovery with a stroke-filled 106 before the visitors were dismissed for 340, replying to New Zealand's first-nnings total of 365, on the fourth day at University Oval.

He added a brilliant partnership of 173 in just over two hours for the seventh wicket, with ICC International Cricketer of the Year, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who made 76 from 200 balls - his 50th half-century in Tests - before he was last man out.

Chanderpaul supported Taylor with a typically resilient 76 and may have been delighted he was not left to manage the recovery operation all by himself, before Vettori also claimed him to close the innings and finish with six wickets for 56 runs from 25 overs.

Successive deliveries

Powell then removed Jamie How for 10 and Kyle Mills for a first-ball duck from successive deliveries to continue the West Indies fightback, after things looked like they would fall apart in the middle of the day.

"Words can't quite describe how I feel," Taylor said after he smashed 106 off 107 balls, with 17 fours and three sixes.

Taylor reached the coveted milestone when he drove a half-volley outside of the off-stump from James Franklin through square cover for the 16th of his 17 fours.

"I always knew I had it in me to make a Test century and today I proved it," Taylor said.

The Jamaican fast bowler went to the crease with the Windies at an unsteady 173 for six - 192 behind on first innings.

His innings was one of quality, adorned with classy drives and would have warmed the heart of head coach John Dyson, after his urgings that the West Indies fast bowler had the potential to be a more-than-capable lower-order batsman.

"The coaches keep telling me I have the ability to be an all-rounder and I'm taking my batting seriously and working very hard. I wanted to take it a step at a time, get a half-century first and try to move to a century. It all came at once today," the 24-year-old said.

Meaningful innings

"It was a very meaningful innings to the team and to me as an individual. I went out there with purpose and decided I had to make a difference. I decided I had to bat for the team to make sure the West Indies could not lose this match. It was an opportunity to show determination and guts and I got the reward."

He added: "I like to express myself in the middle and show my skills. I didn't think I had to change my style because we were in trouble. I felt I should back myself and believe in myself. Making a Test century is everyone's dream and I have fulfilled that dream. I hope it is the first of many to come," added Taylor, who was recently named Cricketer of the Year in Jamaica.

It was Taylor's first century in any form of cricket.

His previous highest in first-class was 40 and his Test-best before yesterday was 31.

"Batting with Shiv gave me a lot of confidence. He supported me throughout and put faith in me from the start. He was in the middle talking to me and that helped me along the way. I was not thinking of the hundred, I was thinking only of occupying the crease and Shiv kept telling me just hang around and hit the bad balls. He said "bat and bat and bat". The partnership was very vital," Taylor said.

Taylor's dismissal prompted a swift end to the West Indies' innings, as the visitors lost their last four wickets for 14 runs in the space of 27 balls, with Vettori removing Powell lbw for a first-ball duck, Fidel Edwards spectacularly caught at deep mid-off by substitute fielder Sean Eathorne and Chanderpaul bowled behind his legs.

Earlier, typically feeble batting and New Zealand's probing, if not intimidating bowling, combined to destabilise West Indies after they continued from their overnight total of 39 without loss.

Boundary-studded 74

They reached 158 for four at lunch, after play started half-hour earlier than scheduled to compensate for time lost on the previous days.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle dominated most of the morning's cricket with a boundary-studded 74, but every time the visitors appeared to be making headway, they were set back by a careless stroke, rather than extraordinary bowling from the Black Caps' attack, as Brendan Nash (23) and Xavier Marshall (20) also got starts but never carried on.

Mills ended with three wickets for 44 runs from 19 overs to give steady, fast-medium bowling support to Vettori.

West Indies are seeking their first Test win and series victory in New Zealand for a dozen years. The Dunedin Test is the first of two with the second scheduled to start in Napier on December 19.