Two brilliant catches by West Indies captain Darren Sammy have reduced New Zealand to 2-76 at tea on the second day of the Hamilton Test.

After Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s unbeaten 122 helped the tourists to a first innings total of 367, Sammy’s safe hands put the brakes on the home side’s reply at Seddon Park.

On the day he turned 30, the opening bowler stooped low on his follow-through to pick up a low return catch to remove Hamish Rutherford.

Then, fielding at leg slip, he showed sharp reflexes to end Peter Fulton’s watchful 91-minute stay on 11 from off-spinner Sunil Narine’s third delivery.

Both Narine and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul were causing the New Zealand batsmen problems on a pitch that was offering some encouragement on a sunny day in Hamilton.

Ross Taylor survived an lbw shout that was referred to the third umpire while Kane Williamson almost holed out off Permaul.

With both spinners operating it was slow going with the runs coming at less than 2.5 an over.

At the interval Williamson was 34 and Taylor 15.

Earlier in the day the final two wickets for the tourists added 60 runs to help Chanderpaul add to their overnight 6-289.

Permaul and Tino Best both swung lustily with Best adding a record 35-run stand for the final wicket against New Zealand.

The 39-year-old, who became the sixth highest run-scorer in Test cricket when he reached 98, was there at the close after a six-hour innings.

Tim Southee struck twice on the second day to finish with the best figures of 4-79 and now needs just two more wickets to reach 100 Test victims.