WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Jacob Duffy took 5-38 as New Zealand’s weakened attack bowled out the West Indies for 128 on the third day Friday to set up a nine-wicket win in the second test.
New Zealand leads the three-match series 1-0 after the first test was drawn. The third test begins on Dec. 18.
Duffy claimed his second five-wicket bag of the series as the West Indies were left with an overall lead of only 55 after trailing by 73 runs on the first innings.
New Zealand reached 56-1 in only 10 overs, losing Tom Latham (9) along the way. Devon Conway was 28 not out at the end and Kane Williamson was 16, hitting a four off Anderson Phillip for the winning runs minutes before the schedule tea break.
Pacer Michael Rae and wicketkeeper-batter Mitch Hay also made major contributions to New Zealand’s win after being called up to make their test debuts in an injury-hit team.
Hay scored a match-high 61 in as New Zealand made 278 in its first innings in reply to the West Indies’s 205. Rae took 3-66 in the first innings and 3-45 in the second, match figures of 6-106.
New Zealand’s bowling attack, already depleted by injuries to Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke and Nathan Smith and the absences of Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears was further weakened when Blair Tickner suffered a dislocated left shoulder in a fielding mishap after taking 4-32 in the first innings. He was playing his first test in two years.
Pressure again fell on Duffy, who bowled 19 overs in the West Indies first innings and 17.2 of the 46.2 overs bowled in the second innings. That came after he was called to bowl 43 overs in the second innings of the first test and 60 overs in that match after injuries to Henry and Smith left New Zealand with only two fit pacers.
“I guess to lose (Tickner) like that . . . he bowled great in the first innings and I thought the way the guys bowled today was awesome,” Duffy said. “I thought it was a great team performance and we got the job done. Day three, how good?”
The West Indies made 205 after being sent in Wednesday on a light green pitch at the Basin Reserve which provided pace, bounce and a little movement on all three days. Shai Hope top-scored with 47 and John Campbell made 44.
Hay’s maiden half century and Devon Conway’s 60 helped New Zealand establish a significant first innings lead.
The West Indies resumed at 32-2 Friday, still 41 runs behind after losing Campbell and nightwatchman Anderson Phillip late on the second day.
New Zealand captured four wickets in the first session, including the wicket of Hope to take full command of the match. The West Indies’ slump began when Brandon King (22) was run out in a mix-up with Kavem Hodge.
The West Indies were 98-6 at lunch, only 25 in front.
Duffy claimed the vital wicket of Justin Greaves, whose monumental double century in the first test earned the West Indies a draw after they were set 531 to win. New Zealand appealed when the ball struck Greaves on the pad, but their appeal was declined. They reviewed and the replay showed the ball hitting leg stump.
The end came quickly. Duffy dismissed Tevin Imlach (5), Rae removed Jayden Seales (0), then Rae caught Ojay Seales in the deep off Duffy to end the innings.
“I think the batting is a bit of a concern, coming from the first test, having a beautiful second innings,” West Indies captain Roston Chase said. “Our batters never capitalized on the conditions.
“I thought we got some starts in the first innings but no one really went big and in the second innings no one got a start.”
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
New Zealand's Jacob Duffy, left, celebrates after taking the wicket of the West Indies' Tagenarine Chanderpaul on Day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Justin Greaves, right, raises his bat after scoring 200 runs against New Zealand on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
PHILIPSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Kilmar Abrego Garcia was freed from immigration detention on a judge's order Thursday while he fights to stay in the U.S., handing a major victory to the immigrant whose wrongful deportation to a notorious prison in El Salvador made him a flashpoint of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement to let Abrego Garcia go immediately, writing that federal authorities had detained him again after his return to the United States without any legal basis.
Abrego Garcia’s attorney’s office confirmed he was released just before 5 p.m., the deadline the judge gave the government for an update on Abrego Garcia’s release. His attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, earlier told The Associated Press that Abrego Garcia plans to return to Maryland, where he has an American wife and child and where he has lived for years after originally immigrating to the U.S. illegally as a teenager.
Abrego Garcia had been held at Moshannon Valley Processing Center about 115 miles (185 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh.
Sandoval-Moshenberg said he’s not sure what comes next, but he’s prepared to defend his client against further deportation efforts.
“The government still has plenty of tools in their toolbox, plenty of tricks up their sleeve,” Sandoval-Moshenberg said, adding he fully expects the government to again take steps to deport his client. “We’re going to be there to fight to make sure there is a fair trial.”
The Department of Homeland Security sharply criticized the judge's decision and vowed to appeal, calling the ruling “naked judicial activism” by a judge appointed during the Obama administration.
“This order lacks any valid legal basis, and we will continue to fight this tooth and nail in the courts,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the department’s assistant secretary.
Sandoval-Moshenberg said the judge made it clear that the government can’t detain someone indefinitely without legal authority and that his client “has endured more than anyone should ever have to.”
Abrego Garcia, with an American wife and child, has lived in Maryland for years but entered the U.S. illegally as a teenager. An immigration judge ruled in 2019 that Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, could not be deported to El Salvador because he faced danger from a gang that targeted his family. When he was mistakenly sent there in March, his case became a rallying point for those who oppose President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement actions.
A court later ordered his return to the United States. Since he cannot be removed to El Salvador, ICE has been seeking to deport him to a series of African countries. His federal suit claims the Trump administration is illegally using the removal process to punish Abrego Garcia for the public embarrassment caused by his deportation.
In her order releasing Abrego Garcia, Xinis wrote that federal authorities “did not just stonewall” the court, “They affirmatively misled the tribunal.” The judge was referencing the successive list of four African countries that officials had sought to remove Abrego Garcia to, seemingly without commitments from those countries, as well as officials' affirmations that Costa Rica withdrew its offer to accept him, a claim later proven untrue.
“But Costa Rica had never wavered in its commitment to receive Abrego Garcia, just as Abrego Garcia never wavered in his commitment to resettle there,” the judge wrote.
Xinis also rejected the government’s argument that she lacked jurisdiction to intervene on a final removal order for Abrego Garcia, because she found no final order had been filed.
Separately, Abrego Garcia is asking an immigration court to reopen his case so he can seek asylum in the United States.
He is also criminally charged in Tennessee, where he has pleaded not guilty to human smuggling. He has asked the federal court to dismiss the case, arguing the prosecution is vindictive. His defense attorney in Tennessee, Sean Hecker, declined to comment.
Loller reported from Nashville and Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press reporters Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
Kilmar Abrego García arrives to his home in Beltsville, Md., Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, after being released from ICE custody. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Kilmar Abrego García arrives to his home in Beltsville, Md., Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, after being released from ICE custody. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
FILE - Kilmar Abrego Garcia joins supporters in a protest rally outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Baltimore, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
