Justin Greaves put on a determined effort and put on a show for the ages as he scored his maiden Test double ton and with great help from Kemar Roach who scored a gritty half-century as West Indies played out the last two sessions wicketless and earned themselves a memorable draw. For New Zealand, they were hampered by the pacers not there and tried their best. But the pitch lacked bite and it was a road in the end.
Justin Greaves completed his ton alongside determined Kemar Roach kept New Zealand at bay for the first hour after Lunch
Justin Greaves and Kemar Roach came out to resume proceedings for West Indies while Michael Bracewell had ball in hand for New Zealand. Greaves completed his second Test ton off 229 balls and played a stellar role out there. Jacob Duffy had ball in hand from the other hand. The 300 came up for West Indies in 103.5 overs. Bracewell continued and the Kiwis burnt a review against Roach with ball pitching outside the leg stump.
Roach swept the bowler past backward square leg for a boundary. Duffy continued as Roach backed away and hooked it over square leg for a boundary. Bracewell bowled another tight over. Duffy bowled a decent over. Greaves heaved the ball over midwicket for a boundary. Duffy bowled a maiden. Bracewell continued as Roach swept it powerfully past square leg for a boundary. Roach was on a roll as she smashed it over mid-on for a boundary. The 50-run stand came up between the two players.
Zak Foulkes came back into the attack as Greaves welcomed him back with a flick between midwicket and mid-on for a boundary. Bracewell continued as Roach swept it to Foulkes at backward square leg who put down the catch. Foulkes bowled another tight over. Rachin Ravindra came into the attack next as Greaves welcomed him back with a boundary through covers and then cut it past the sweeper fielder for a boundary. Roach got into the act as well as he chipped it over the bowler’s head for a boundary.
Foulkes continued as Greaves pulled it away over midwicket for a boundary. Ravindra continued as Greaves cut it behind point for a boundary. Foulkes continued as Roach survived a run out scare as the direct hit was missed and Roach was short of his ground then. West Indies reached 364/6 in 118 overs with Roach on 38* and Greaves on 137* when we paused for the Drinks Break.
Justin Greaves & Kemar Roach continue to frustrate New Zealand as West Indies endured a wicketless session
Rachin Ravindra continued after the break and bowled a decent over. Foulkes continued as well and bowled a decent over. Michael Bracewell came back into the attack next. He too bowled a decent over. Rachin Ravindra changed ends. Roach broke the shackles as the ball strayed down the legs and picked it over fine leg for a boundary. Bracewell continued as the 100-run partnership came up between the pair.
Ravindra bowled another decent over. Bracewell continued as Greaves survived a close call as there was no bat involved at all. The umpire’s review was taken and it came back as NOT OUT. Jacob Duffy returned to the bowling crease as Greaves reached his 150. Bracewell continued as Roach was dropped with mid-off and mid-on converging and dropping the catch. Duffy continued as Roach reached his fifty off 110 balls and what a half century it has been for the veteran. Bracewell continued and bowled a decent over.
Duffy continued and kept things tight. Bracewell had ball in hand for the last over before Tea and he bowled a decent over as the two West Indies bowlers negotiated things till Tea Break. West Indies were 399/6 in 131 overs with Roach on 50* off 119 balls while Justin Greaves was unbeaten on 157 off 307 balls. The players walked off the field for Tea break.
It was a hard toil for the New Zealand bowlers as they tried their hearts out without any rewards. It was a tough session and now all results are possible with Draw being the likely result now.
Justin Greaves & Kemar Roach resistance earns a honourable draw for West Indies
Justin Greaves and Kemar Roach resumed for the West Indies post Tea while Jacob Duffy had ball in hand for New Zealand. Greaves got a brace as the 400 came up for West Indies in 131.1 overs. Michael Bracewell operated from the other end and bowled decently. Duffy continued and bowled a decent over. Bracewell bowled a maiden. Duffy bowled another decent over. Roach survived a close LBW shout as the umpire said no. But with no review left, New Zealand could not review and it was three reds on replays.
Duffy continued as Greaves got a triple. Duffy gave away 4 byes to the batting side. Bracewell bowled another good over. Foulkes came back into the attack and bowled another good over. Bracewell continued as the 150-run stand came up between the two players. Foulkes bowled another decent over. Roach survived another close call as he got an edge to the keeper but the umpire said no and there was no review left. Foulkes bowled another good over.
Bracewell bowled a maiden over. Foulkes continued and bowled a decent over. Bracewell bowled a decent over. Foulkes kept things under check. Bracewell bowled another good over. Drinks was taken with 15 overs to go and the score 435/6 as we entered the last hour of the match of 15 overs. Duffy continued after the break and bowled a decent over. Bracewell bowled another good over.
Jacob Duffy bowled another maiden. Bracewell followed it up with a maiden over. Ravindra bowled another tight over but no wickets to show for. Bracewell bowled another maiden. Ravindra bowled another good over. Bracewell followed it up with a decent over. Ravindra bowled another good over. Bracewell followed it up with a maiden. Ravindra bowled another quiet over. West Indies were 446/6 in 160 overs as the third new ball was due now.
The third new ball was taken straightaway. Greaves got a lucky but effective streaky boundary as he poked at the ball to get an inside edge past the keeper for a boundary as the 450 came up for the visitors West Indies. Foulkes came back into the attack and he bowled a decent over. Duffy continued as the magical moment came for Greaves and West Indies as he hit Duffy by slicing it over cover point for a boundary as his maiden double hundred came off 384 balls.
Rachin Ravindra came to bowl the last over of the day as Greaves played out the first 3 balls and with 3 balls left, the players shook hands and the Test ended in a honourable draw. It was a hard toil for the New Zealand bowlers with Jacob Duffy picking up 3/122 in 43 overs while Matt Henry, Zak Foulkes and Michael Bracewell had a wicket apiece. The match ended in a draw.
What Lies Ahead
The First Test match ended in a draw as West Indies hung on for dear life to save the Test and get crucial WTC points. The next Test match will start on December 10th at Basin Reserve in Wellington from 3:30 AM IST onwards. The series is 0-0 and who will get the bragging rights in Wellington? Only time will tell.
An absorbing second Test awaits us all.
Also Read: NZ vs WI: Shai Hope’s Magnificent Ton Leads West Indies Fightback On Day 4