NAPIER, New Zealand (CMC):

Prolific left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul continued his astonishing run of form yesterday, carving out his 20th Test century in another valiant rescue effort, to save West Indies embarrassment on the opening day of the second and final Test against New Zealand.

The unflappable Guyanese was unbeaten on an even century at the close as West Indies, batting first after winning the toss, reached 258 for six at McLean Park.

Summoned to the crease with the tourists teetering dangerously on the brink of a humiliating collapse late in the first session, Chanderpaul produced yet another master class in skill and temperament, to frustrate New Zealand's bowlers and post his first Test century against New Zealand.

He has so far batted a shade under 4-1/2 hours, faced 224 balls and struck nine fours and three sixes. In the process, he moved into fourth on the West Indies all-time list of century-makers, going past legends Clive Lloyd and Gordon Greenidge.

With the Windies in mayhem at 74 for four moments before the lunch break, Chanderpaul found a similarly diligent ally in Brendan Nash and they combined in an invaluable 163-run stand for the fifth wicket, which propelled the visitors back into contention.

Nash, in only his second Test after making his debut in the rain-affected Dunedin opener last week, fashioned a confident 74 before falling late in the day when seemingly poised to easily reach three figures.

The Australia-born, Jamaican left-hander, also calm and unruffled but with a penchant for off-side strokes, struck 12 fours in an innings that spanned 211 minutes and 162 balls.

WINNING THE TOSS

Opting to bat after winning the toss in sunny conditions, West Indies wasted a sound start of 43 between Chris Gayle and Sewnarine Chattergoon, as the Black Caps' varied attack wiped out the top order, forcing the tourists into consolidation mode at lunch.

Skipper Gayle stroked a typically entertaining 34 but his dismissal triggered a slide which saw four wickets tumble for 31 runs as Ramnaresh Sarwan (11), Xavier Marshall (6) and opener Chattergoon (13) all fell cheaply.

Chanderpaul, unbeaten on seven at lunch along with Nash, who was yet to score, then led the Windies fightback, batting responsibly to perform a much needed rescue mission for the tourists, who need to win this Test to break their 12-year series drought against the Kiwis.

Though compact in defence and unwavering in concentration, Chanderpaul was quick to pounce on anything loose and emerged when necessary from his slow, methodical style of run-gathering, to explode.

With West Indies grinding it out at 126 for four in the post-lunch session, Chanderpaul, without warning smashed the second delivery of left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori's 10th over, over midwicket for six and repeated the stroke next ball to gather four.

WENT ON ATTACK

When the second new ball was handed to fast bowler James Franklin midway through the final session in an attempt to break the worrisome partnership, Chanderpaul again went on the attack, hammering boundaries off the back and front foot in the same over, to move into the '80s.

Playing with increasing abandon, he hooked pacer Iain O'Brien for six to cruise into the '90s and a swept boundary off Vettori in the next over, took him to 99 before a nudge into the onside brought up his landmark.

Nash, meanwhile, was bold in attacking anything loose on the off-side and most of his boundaries came in cuts and drives through that area.

Though exhibiting the utmost prudence, few loose balls went unpunished by Nash. He took two boundaries from medium pacer Kyle Mills' sixth over to move to 14 after lunch and eventually brought up his first half-century in Tests with a slash over slips for four off Franklin in the post-tea session.

Like Chanderpaul, Nash played freely against the second new ball but a moment of indiscretion led to his downfall and he fell to a catch at short cover by Daniel Flynn off Franklin, driving loosely at a delivery with the score on 237 for five.

Vice-captain Denesh Ramdin did not suggest permanence and he faced 10 balls before being bowled by Vettori for six, offering no stroke to a straight ball with the score on 257.