A stubborn seven-hour vigil by Darren Bravo is standing in the way of New Zealand’s quest for their first Test victory of the year as the West Indies reach 5-314 at tea on the fourth day in Dunedin.

Bravo, starting the day on 72, was 149 at the break to frustrate the home side’s hopes of an early finish at the University Oval after the visitors were following on 396 runs in arrears.

They remain 82 runs shy of avoiding an innings defeat after being dismissed for 213 in the first innings in reply to New Zealand’s 9-609 declared.

On a pitch that was devoid of life, Denesh Ramdin was four not out at the interval.

Bravo and Narsingh Deonarine (52) combined for a 122-run stand for the fifth wicket before Corey Anderson’s first Test wicket on home soil.

The left-arm seamer managed to extract a bit of extra bounce and movement to get the edge of Deonarine’s bat and find the breakthrough that the hosts were so desperately seeking.

Deonarine enjoyed a share of good fortune in his innings after offering Tim Southee a tough caught and bowled chance on 40 and then captain Brendon McCullum spilled a chance after two bites at the cherry two runs later.

Bravo also rode his luck to bring up his fifth Test century and he took a heavy toll on anything over-pitched on the offside, cracking 21 boundaries in his 149.

Earlier in the day Southee struck in the fourth over when the West Indies resumed on 2-168.

Marlon Samuels was caught by the 24-year-old paceman who did well to hold onto the chest-high chance.

Neil Wagner then took his first wicket of the Test to claim the prized scalp of veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

The 39-year-old, who a day earlier became just the seventh batsmen to pass 11,000 runs in Tests, was trapped lbw for one to reduce the tourists to 4-185.

Bravo offered Wagner another chance when on 82, but the left-arm Otago paceman could not hold on.

He brought up his fifth Test ton off 200 balls with a sweep to fine leg as he and Deonarine showed fighting qualities on a warm Dunedin day.