Tim Southee struck three times in a little over an hour to put West Indies on the ropes at lunch on the third day of the first Test in Dunedin.

The tourists were 159-5 at the break in reply to New Zealand’s mammoth 609-9 declared after being asked to bat at the University Oval.

Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul, playing his 151st Test, was unbeaten on 62 and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin was 11 not out after they resumed on 67-2.

But the day’s first session was overshadowed by revelations that three former NZ players were being investigated by the International Cricket Council for alleged match-fixing.

Southee, extracting some life from a benign pitch, removed Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels and Narsingh Deonarine in a devastating eight-over spell to reduce the West Indies to 106-5 under a blue sky in Dunedin.

He almost had another wicket, but BJ Watling failed to hold onto a tough chance down legside when Ramdin had yet to get off the mark.

New Zealand had targeted the opening hour as crucial to their hopes of snaring their first win in 10 outings and they could not have enjoyed a better start.

Bravo was first to go edging Southee to a diving Brendon McCullum at third slip.

Samuels, who did not add to his overnight score of 14, had already been given out lbw off Trent Boult only to win a reprieve after a review before nicking the 24-year-old to Ross Taylor at first slip.

Southee dropped a tough caught and bowled chance off Deonarine but struck in his first over after drinks with Taylor juggling the ball before holding his 83rd Test catch.

Southee had figures of 4-43 from 15 overs.

Chanderpaul remains the key wicket for New Zealand and he looked in fine touch to take 14 runs off an Ish Sodhi over to bring up his 62nd half-century after having passed 11,000 Test runs in the previous over.

He and Ramdin had added 53 at the break as the West Indies finished the session 450 runs adrift of New Zealand and still 251 runs shy of avoiding the follow-on.