Justin Greaves produced one of the great modern-day rearguards, smashing an unbeaten double century to carry West Indies to a stunning draw against New Zealand in the first Test at Hagley Oval on Saturday. Chasing a massive 531, the visitors held firm through the final day, with Greaves blocking everything on his way to an unbeaten 202 as both captains finally agreed to shake hands. West Indies closed on 457 for 6, thanks to crucial partnerships involving Shai Hope (140) and Kemar Roach (58*), who stood tall alongside the eventual Player of the Match, Greaves.
WTC Points Table
Despite the heroic escape, the visitors have slipped to the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) table. After six matches in the current cycle, West Indies have five defeats and one draw, giving them a PCT of just 5.56. New Zealand, playing their first game of this phase, moved up to seventh with a 33.33 PCT.
Australia remain the dominant force at the top of the standings, having won all four of their matches so far for a flawless 100 PCT. South Africa sit second after their series win over India, with three victories in four outings. Sri Lanka occupy third place with one win and one defeat from their two matches. Pakistan and India follow next, placed fourth and fifth with PCTs of 50 and 48.15, respectively. The Test itself had several swings. Put in to bat, New Zealand were dismissed for 231, with Kane Williamson’s half-century the lone bright spot. West Indies shared the wickets evenly, with Kemar Roach (2/47), Jayden Seales (2/44), Johann Layne (1/47), Ojay Shields (2/34), Greaves (2/35), and skipper Roston Chase (1/13) all contributing. West Indies’ first innings never flourished, folding for 167, though Tagenarine Chanderpaul (52) and Hope (56) provided some resistance. New Zealand’s second innings belonged to Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra, who piled on a massive 279-run stand for the third wicket. Their effort enabled the hosts to declare at 466 for 8, setting West Indies a monumental target of 561. What followed was an extraordinary show of grit. Hope, Greaves, and Roach dug deep, defying New Zealand’s bowlers and pushing the match to a hard-earned draw, completing one of West Indies’ most memorable escapes in recent Test history.
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