The Black Caps were in depressingly familiar territory, all out for 260 after 83 overs on the first day of the second cricket Test against the West Indies in Kingston.

Openers Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell had little difficulty in seeing the Windies through to 0-11 at stumps, leaving New Zealand facing the prospect of a repeat of their first Test nine-wicket loss.

The Black Caps never recovered from a horror spell straight after tea, when they lost three wickets for just nine runs after going into the break looking reasonably solid at 3-152.

In all, they put on 99 for the last seven wickets to gift the West Indies a dream start.

With New Zealand floundering at 6-170, the lower order delayed the inevitable briefly in adding 58 for the last two wickets.

Tim Southee clubbed 18 off nine balls and Neil Wagner managed 23 from 29, leaving Trent Boult undefeated on 14.

The Black Caps’ more established batsmen again disappointed.

Missing Daniel Flynn with a groin strain, the New Zealanders lost replacement opener BJ Watling early for two, then Brendon McCullum snicked paceman Tino Best to keeper Denesh Ramdin, leaving New Zealand at 2-11.

Captain Ross Taylor put on 103 for the third wicket with Martin Guptill before Best struck again, finding good pace and bounce as Taylor, sitting on 60, tried to cut – only to send a thick edge through to Ramdin.

Kane Williamson disappeared five overs after tea for 22, enticed into pushing at a tossed-up Narsingh Deonarine delivery outside off stump and guiding an outside edge to Darren Sammy.

New batsman Dean Brownlie faced just six balls before edging Kemar Roach to Ramdin in the next over, then some sharp fielding from Best in throwing down the stumps from extra cover removed the key wicket of Guptill.

The in-form opener, with innings 97 and 67 from the first Test, stroked six fours and two sixes in his 174-ball innings of 71.

As well as missing Flynn, the Black Caps are also without spinner Daniel Vettori – also sidelined with a groin injury – and have opted for seamers Boult and Southee, resting Chris Martin.