Tim Southee, Corey Anderson carve into West Indies

Hamilton: Tim Southee and Corey Anderson snapped up four wickets in 34 deliveries to rip the heart out of the West Indies top order on the first morning of the third Test in Hamilton today.

The New Zealand pair overcame an unresponsive wicket to lure the West Indies into abandoning the cautious approach they took early in the day as the tourists look to level the series.

After going to lunch at 71-1, the West Indies succumbed to the carelessness that has blighted their tour so far and at tea they were 142-5.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin were both unbeaten on 30 while for New Zealand Anderson had figures of two for seven and Southee 2-31.

Southee started the collapse in the third over after lunch with the removal of Kraigg Brathwaite (45), who fended a rising delivery to Kane Williamson in the gully.

Kirk Edwards followed in Southee's next over, trying to withdraw his bat and giving the faintest of edges to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

Anderson stepped up to remove Marlon Samuels without scoring and Narsingh Deonarine for two.

Samuels flashed at a full delivery without moving his feet and succeeded only in steering the ball to the gully, where Williamson juggled it twice before completing the catch -- a poor dismissal with his team needing a win to draw the three-Test series.

In the opening session, Neil Wagner took the only wicket when he had Kieran Powell caught behind for 26.

New Zealand are playing the same team that won the second Test inside three days by an innings and 73 runs while the West Indies made three changes.

Sunil Narine replaced spinner Shane Shillingford, who has been suspended for an illegal bowling action, Braithwaite came in for the injured Darren Bravo and Veerasammy Permaul took the place of seamer Shannon Gabriel.

Windies make cautious start to third Test

Windies make cautious start to third Test

Hamilton: The West Indies made a cautious start to the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton today, putting the onus on occupying the crease rather than scoring quickly as they look to level the series.

The tourists reached lunch at 71-1 after 29 overs, with Kraigg Brathwaite not out 41 and Kirk Edwards unbeaten on three.

The West Indies went into the match without the suspended Shane Shillingford, who was replaced by spinner Sunil Narine, and are without first Test double-centurion Darren Bravo, who was injured during net practice on Wednesday.

Bravo was replaced by Brathwaite, who, in his first Test of the series, was dropped on 13 when he drove Neil Wagner through the hands of Tim Southee at short cover point.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and put the West Indies in to bat but new-ball pair Southee and Trent Boult received little assistance despite the overhead cloud cover.

The few nicks they generated fell short of the slips cordon and it took medium left-armer Wagner to make the breakthrough in the second hour of play.

He dropped one short to Kieran Powell that found the edge of the bat to be caught behind by BJ Watling for 26.

Wagner had figures of one for 10 off seven overs.

New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the second Test in Wellington last week by an innings and 73 runs.