New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips said his audacious switch-hitting show in a recent Super Smash match was no gimmick but a tactical option he has honed for years to counter left-arm spin.

Captain Roston Chase hopes that a bonding session over an early Christmas dinner will give the West Indies the festive spirit to beat New Zealand in the must-win third and final Test starting Thursday at Mount Maunganui

New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel is in line to play his first Test in over a year after he was named in a 14-man squad for the third Test against West Indies, while wicketkeeper Tom Blundell returned from a hamstring tear.

New Zealand dismissed West Indies for 205 and reached 24 without loss in reply on the opening day of the second test on Wednesday, but their already ravaged bowling stocks were further depleted by a freak injury at Basin Reserve.

Injury-hit New Zealand will give a debut to wicketkeeper Mitch Hay in the second Test against the West Indies in Wellington after Tom Blundell was ruled out on Tuesday.

A five-wicket haul by Jacob Duffy gave New Zealand a 64-run first-innings lead over the West Indies with the tourists all out for 167 in the first Test on Wednesday.

New Zealand reached 231-9 at stumps on a rain-shortened day one of the first Test against the West Indies Tuesday after Justin Greaves triggered a middle-order collapse with the wicket of Kane Williamson.

Matt Henry took 4-43 and Mark Chapman crafted 64 as New Zealand coasted to a four-wicket win over the West Indies in the third one-day international on Saturday for a series sweep.

Blair Tickner and Zakary Foulkes made decisive contributions with bat and ball to secure a tense two-wicket win for New Zealand over England on Saturday and a clean sweep of the three-match ODI series.

Late replacement Blair Tickner took four for 34 and Daryl Mitchell hit 56 not out as New Zealand beat England by five wickets in the second one-day international in Hamilton on Wednesday to seal the three-match series.

Kane Williamson was missing from the New Zealand squad named on Monday for the Twenty20 series against England later this month because of a "minor medical issue", coach Rob Walter said.

The White Ferns secured their first win in three matches, bowling out Bangladesh for 127 to seal a commanding 100-run victory.

New Zealand know South Africa is 'hurting' from their heavy defeat to England, giving them extra focus for the clash at the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup.

An unbeaten maiden century by New Zealand's Tim Robinson wasn't enough to deny Australia a comfortable six-wicket win in the opening Twenty20 at Bay Oval on Wednesday.

The Aussies and White Ferns are finalising preparations for their hotly anticipated World Cup showdown

It may have been New Zealand's retro moustaches, wigs and floppy hats, but Ricky Ponting was far from convinced that Twenty20 cricket would catch on after the first international match at Eden Park 20 years ago.

New Zealand seamer Matt Henry restricted South Africa to three runs from the last over to seal a three-run victory in the Twenty20 International Tri-Series final at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe on Saturday.

New Zealand beat South Africa by 21 runs in their Zimbabwe Twenty 20 tri-series match at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

Top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen will lead South Africa during next month's Twenty20 tri-series with New Zealand and hosts Zimbabwe, with four uncapped players in the squad, Cricket South Africa said on Thursday.

New Zealand reached the World Cup for only the third time.