New Zealand's long wait for a Test win arrived in unseemly haste on Friday as they dismantled the West Indies by an innings and 73 runs at the Basin Reserve.
On a heady third day of the second Test, the West Indies lost 16 wickets for 210 runs as they crumbled to a third innings defeat in four Tests.
As with two humblings in India last month, their substandard batting was exposed - this time by the swing and seam of an outstanding New Zealand attack.
Trent Boult led the way with match figures of 10-80, becoming the 14th Black Cap to take 10 wickets in a Test. They were the best figures by any New Zealand left-arm seamer.
He recorded a career-best 6-40 as the tourists crumbled for 193 in their first innings.
Trailing New Zealand's 441 by 248 runs, they were asked to follow on but offered similarly limp resistance in being skittled for 175 inside 55 overs.
It hands New Zealand their first win since November last year and sets them up for a first series triumph against a major cricket-playing nation since their 2-0 home win over the West Indies in 2006.
They lead 1-0 heading into the third and final Test starting in Hamilton on Thursday.
There was no prospect of the West Indies repeating their gigantic rescue act from the first Test in Dunedin last week, when they also followed on.
Only openers Kieran Powell (36) and Kirk Edwards (35) looked comfortable while Shivnarine Chanderpaul (31 not out) offered late resistance as the lower order capitulated around him for the second time.
The second-innings wickets were shared between Boult (4-40) and fellow-seamers Tim Southee (3-24), Neil Wagner (2-67) and Corey Anderson (1-29).
For sheer impact, it was hard to look past 24-year-old Boult, whose lusty 38 not out at No.11 with the bat and a spectacular diving catch to remove Denesh Ramdin were highlights of a compelling all-round performance.
He dominated the first hour on Friday, taking five wickets in the space of 15 balls with his lively inswing after the tourists resumed at 4-158.
The last four batsmen were all clean bowled for ducks, allowing New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum to enforce the follow-on.
New Zealand had lost or drawn their previous 10 Tests since beating Sri Lanka in Colombo in November last year.
McCullum was relieved to taste success for the first time since controversially inheriting the captaincy from Ross Taylor a year ago.
He says victory was overdue after going close on a handful of occasions, including last week's frustrating drawn first Test in Dunedin.
"Sometimes we do cop criticism and, a lot of the time, it is justified but sometimes it's not," he said.
"This Test we refocused and the bowlers especially were able to get themselves up again after a really tough test in Dunedin physically."
Captain Darren Sammy, who scored a pair, said the lack of fight was hugely disappointing.
"I thought, as a team, we left Dunedin with confidence, especially the way we played to save the Test.
"This Test, we barely faced 100 overs which is not good for any international side."
