West Indies' captain Chris Gayle signals his 50 with Xavier Marshall on the fourth day of the second Test at McLean Park in Napier, New Zealand, today (last night Jamaica time). Gayle was 82 not out at lunch as the West Indies reached 146 for four. - AP

NAPIER, New Zealand (AP)

Off-spinner Jeetan Patel took wickets with consecutive deliveries, including Shivnarine Chanderpaul, to alter the balance of the second cricket Test between New Zealand and the West Indies before lunch on the fourth day (last night Jamaica time.)

The West Indies resumed at 62 for two, trailing by two runs with eight second innings wickets intact after New Zealand reached 371 in reply to their first innings of 307.

Overnight batsmen Chris Gayle and Xavier Marshall guided the tourists to 106-2, a lead of 42, and into a strengthened position before Patel struck twice in the 34th over to remove Marshall and Chanderpaul and to tilt the match in New Zealand's favour.

By lunch the West Indies were 146-4, leading by 82 with Gayle 83 not out and Brendan Nash 18.

Throughout the morning, Gayle continued an assault on the New Zealand bowlers began before stumps on the third day, dashing to a half-century from 65 balls and peppering the boundary with six fours and five sixes. His best shot was a straight-hit six off Patel which cleared the grandstand at the end of the ground and bounced through a car park into the street.

Watchful support

Gayle's innings and the watchful support of Marshall threatened to turn a match which has always been closely contested in favour of the West Indies but the loss of Marshall and Chanderpaul tilted it back in New Zealand's favour.

Patel had taken some punishment from Gayle but struck back when he had Marshall caught at slip by Ross Taylor for 18, then Chanderpaul caught and bowled next ball. Chanderpaul made an unbeaten 126 in the West Indies' first innings, continuing the outstanding form which has brought him eight of his 20 Test centuries in the last 18 months.

He shaped as the largest impediment to New Zealand's bid to win the match and to take the two-Test series 1-0 after the first Test in Dunedin was drawn. But he was enticed into an atypically rash shot by a poor ball by Patel and hit a simple return catch, leaving the West Indies 106 for four.

West Indies' Fidel Edwards acknowledges his seven-wicket bag against New Zealand on Sunday's third day of the second Test at McLean Park, Napier, New Zealand. Edwards took seven for 87. - AP