The two Test series between the West Indies and New Zealand ended in an expected draw in Napier on Tuesday.
New Zealand's inability to finish off the West Indies tail on the final morning ultimately left them an insurmountable run chase to claim victory in Napier as both the second Test and the series ended in a draw.
The tourists batted throughout the first session of the final day with captain Chris Gayle falling three short of a double century before they were eventually all out for 375 on the stroke of lunch.
Kiwis set a daunting target
Requiring an unlikely 312 to win, the hosts reached 220 for five when stumps were called - 92 runs shy of their target with nine overs remaining at McLean Park.
New Zealand's pursuit seemed possible until the controversial dismissal of Brendon McCullum for 19 via the umpires referral system.
The hosts had reached 191 for four, thanks largely to a 74-run blitz by Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder, when McCullum survived one referral by West Indies captain Chris Gayle.
The referral show
The skipper was convinced the wicketkeeper-batsman had edged behind to Dinesh Ramdin in the 43rd over but Rudi Koertzen turned down the initial appeal and his decision was backed by third umpire Mark Benson.
However, two overs later in almost identical circumstances, Koertzen believed contact had been made and raised the finger.
McCullum called for a referral and although replays appeared to show no contact with the bat McCullum was sent on his way much to his disgust.
The match petered out after that and with nine overs remaining and a result impossible both teams agreed to call it a day.
Ryder finished unbeaten on 59 - his third half-century in as many innings - while at the other end James Franklin was two not out.
The numbers from Napier
The game had got away from the New Zealanders earlier in the day when Chris Gayle, who resumed on 146, and Fidel Edwards, who started the day on one, combined for a vital 70-run partnership.
Gayle looked set for a double hundred after equalling the West Indies record of seven sixes in an innings as Iain O'Brien and Franklin came in for particular punishment.
O'Brien's fourth over to the West Indies skipper cost 16 runs as but he eventually fell for 197 when he edged a Jeetan Patel delivery onto McCullum's foot and the wicketkeeper caught the ballooning ball.
Kiwis ran out of luck
It was the only bit of luck the Black Caps enjoyed on a difficult morning that saw the West Indies add 97 runs to their overnight score of 278 for seven.
Edwards, who was dropped on nought by Jamie How the previous evening, and Daren Powell rubbed more salt into the wounds by adding a further 21 runs for the ninth wicket.
But in the one bright spot of the morning, Patel earned a thoroughly deserved fifth wicket when he enticed an outside edge off Edwards and Ross Taylor collected the ball low at first slip.
It was Patel's first five-wicket haul in Test cricket and he finished with figures of five for 110 from 46 overs, including 16 maidens.
The New Zealanders showed some attacking intent when their run-chase got under way.
But they were on the back foot early as a referral to Benson resulted in Tim McIntosh's dismissal, trapped leg before by Jerome Taylor with the score eight for one.
How, who largely failed to fire in the series, and Daniel Flynn pushed New Zealand to 48 for one at drinks but in his haste to accumulate much-needed runs, he opted for a risky single and Flynn was left well short of his crease to leave the Black Caps 62 for two and still 250 runs short.
How made up for his error as he took 19 runs off a Edwards over, including two lovely drives down the ground.
He brought up his much-needed half-century with his eighth boundary, his 53 taking just 61 balls.
But in the very next over he edged a wider delivery from Edwards straight to Gayle in the slips having added just one further run to his total.
Watch images of day five from Napier
That brought Ryder to the crease and he and Ross Taylor set about reducing the deficit, running well between the wickets and picking off boundaries when they were available.
The referral system also came into play for Ross Taylor's dismissal and like McCullum he survived one referral before failing in his appeal against the lbw decision that saw him fall four runs short of his 50.
His departure stalled New Zealand's hopes and once McCullum went a draw was the only possible outcome.
Click here for the SCORECARD
