Anderson Phillip was hoping for a lead of 300-plus to defend on the third day of the second Test against New Zealand.

“I think once we get over 300, we bowlers definitely can defend that,” Phillip told the media after West Indies closed the second day on 32 for two in their second innings, having dismissed the home side for 278, which gave New Zealand a lead of 73.

“I think we are in a pretty good position. We would have liked the lead to be less, but we will take that any day, any time, keeping New Zealand under 300,” said fast bowler Phillip, who was the Windies’ most successful bowler with figures of three for 70 in 13 overs.

“I’ve been bowling well,l so glad to see that it’s coming together when it matters,” he said.

And asked what kind of lead the team would be happy with, Phillip added: “I think once we get over 300thewe bowlers definitely can defend that.

Minutes earlier, Jacob Duffy and Michael Rae grabbed two late wickets to take some gloss off a courageous effort by the West Indies’ bowlers that brought them back into contention on the second day.

Rae produced a brilliant inswinger to bowl John Campbell, while Duffy trapped nightwatchman Phillip lbw, as the Windies ended the day on 32 for two, still 41 runs in arrears.

Earlier, led by Phillip, the Windies did well to limit the Black Caps’ lead to a manageable figure, after they had looked poised to score much more.

Resuming from their overnight total of 24 without loss, New Zealand added 16 more runs before Kemar Roach produced a gem of a delivery that beat captain Tom Latham’s inside edge and knocked over his off-stump.

Devon Conway and Kane Williamson then frustrated the visitors’ bowling attack for close to an hour and a half during a 67-run partnership.

The Windies should have had the wicket of Conway when he was 29, and the score 47 for one, but Brandon King could not hold on to a sharp chance at leg-slip off the bowling of Jayden Seales.

Conway seized the opportunity and eventually reached his 13th Test half-century off 90 balls just before the lunch break by driving Ojay Shields to deep backward point and collecting two runs.

The pair looked set to carry their side to the break, but Phillip rattled Williamson’s stumps after he scored a brisk 37 off 46 balls with lunch in sight.

West Indies grabbed the momentum immediately after play resumed, with Roach having new batter Rachin Ravindra caught behind for five. At the same time, Justin Greaves was fortunate to dismiss Conway for 60 after he edged a loose ball down the leg side behind to wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach, to leave New Zealand 117 for four.

However, Mitchell Hay and Daryl Mitchell came to their side’s rescue in a partnership of 73 that changed the complexion of the match.

Phillip got the breakthrough when he had Mitchell caught down the leg-side by Imlach for 25, with the score 190 for five.

Debutant Hay brought up his maiden Test half-century by driving Shields for two boundaries as New Zealand went to tea at 200 for five, just five runs adrift of the Windies’ first innings total.

They duly passed that score and looked set on establishing a big lead, but were stifled by some pinpoint bowling.

Hay pulled Shields for two consecutive boundaries but picked out Roach at fine-leg attempting a third to be out caught for 61, with the score 213 for six.

Glenn Phillips scored 18 before slogging off spinner Roston Chase into the hands of Phillip stationed at deep midwicket, while Phillip returned to dismiss Duffy for 11 and Jayden Seales wrapped up the innings by bowling Rae, to see New Zealand lose their last five wickets for 65 runs.

In addition to Phillip’s three wickets, Roach took two for 43.

Needing to navigate the final half hour of play, the West Indies started nervously, with Duffy flooring a tough return catch offered by Brandon King before he had scored.

Campbell executed two pull shots and an audacious cover drive off the bowling of Zak Foulkes in the fourth over, and King also hit him for two consecutive boundaries in his next over to see them motor to 24 without loss after six overs.

But the introduction of Rae proved to be decisive, as he knocked over Campbell’s off-stump with his fifth delivery as the batsman shouldered arms to an inswinger.

The decision to send in Phillip as a nightwatchman backfired, with Duffy having him lbw after facing just three balls.

Phillip was initially given not out by the umpire, but a review showed the ball would have cannonedinto the off-stump.