Knowing that playing too defensively would only add to the pressure, Shai Hope decided to counterattack. He fought fire with fire and found an able ally in Justin Greaves (55 not out). The duo put on 135 runs for the fourth wicket and West Indies ended Day 4 on 212/4. 319 runs needed and six wickets in hand. Now saving the game looks possible if not probable. New Zealand may still end up winning this on the final day, but it does not take away the brilliance of Shai Hope.
Shai Hope played his shots without any risks. The fact that Shai Hope was batting with sunglasses on due to an eye infection only makes this innings all the more special. It forced him to go off the field at one stage earlier on in the day but he battled through his personal hardship for the sake of the team. Shai Hope not only fought but also persevered. It was a great advertisement for Test cricket and good PR as far as the oldest format is concerned. Tests may be old but they are by no means obsolete.
Day 3 : Rachin Ravindra 176, Tom Latham 145 put NZ in a dominant position on Day 3
New Zealand began the third day of the Christchurch Test 96 ahead of West Indies; they ended it 481 ahead and in complete command. A 385-run day built on a commanding 279-run stand between Rachin Ravindra (176) and Tom Latham (145) has all but shut the door on the visitors with two days still left.
In classic New Zealand fashion, day three brought the best batting conditions after two bowler-dominated days. Latham and Devon Conway quietly stretched their overnight stand to 84 before a soft dismissal broke the rhythm. Ojay Shields floated a harmless short, wide ball, and Conway cut it straight to deep point.
The wicket came during a lively burst from Justin Greaves, who troubled Kane Williamson and even drew a top-edge over the keeper. The pressure finally told when Kemar Roach, brought on just before Lunch, straightened one to take Williamson’s edge.
At that point New Zealand were only 164 ahead. West Indies, however, wouldn’t strike again until deep into the final session. They had themselves to blame as much as the easing pitch. Ravindra, who struck two boundaries in his first four balls, offered an early flick to midwicket only for Roach to spill it. Greaves then created another chance, but substitute Kavem Hodge shelled a sitter at slip.
Reprieved on 8 and 13, Ravindra cashed in. As the day wore on, West Indies’ intensity faded. Johann Layne had a particularly tough outing, conceding 80 off 13 overs. Ravindra raced to a 52-ball fifty, while Latham moved serenely to his 14th Test hundred at Tea. Ravindra signed off the session with a boundary that took him to 70 off 75; the pair had added 133 in 27.1 overs at a gallop.
The lead crossed 300 in the first over after Tea and Ravindra surged to his fourth Test century by crunching three boundaries in the first two overs and raising the ton off his 107th ball, pulling Layne past deep midwicket. With both milestones done, the scoring only accelerated. By the time the second new ball was due and taken immediately, New Zealand were already 400 ahead, with Ravindra overtaking Latham on the scoreboard.
Roach finally broke the 279-run stand with an inswinger that brushed Latham’s inside edge as he threw his hands at a drive. Ravindra, having smashed 27 fours and a six, was undone by a surprise yorker from Shields. But even with those late strikes, New Zealand piled on 184 runs in the final session, leaving West Indies staring at a near-impossible task.
Day 4 : Shai Hope’s valiant century and Justin Greaves drag Christchurch Test to Day 5
Shai Hope slammed an unbeaten century while Justin Greaves got 55 as the West Indies pair added 140 runs over the course of more than a session and a half on Day 4 in Christchurch. This came as a riposte to New Zealand massive second innings total and subsequent declaration on 466, leaving West Indies to chase 531. From 72 for 4 in the middle session, Hope and Greaves showed that West Indies had fight left in them in this fixture, as they took the team to Stumps at 212 for 4, trailing by 319 runs in chase.
From an overnight total of 417 for 4, New Zealand batted just 14 more overs to add 49 more runs before asking West Indies to bat for the second time. Jayden Seales struck early to remove Will Young and Kemar Roach stopped Michael Bracewell in his tracks after the all-rounder added 24.
Roach struck twice more to dismiss Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy, and completed his five-wicket haul. With Duffy’s exit, New Zealand declared, giving themselves roughly two and half sessions on Day 4 to make sizable inroads. West Indies openers John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul saw out 11 overs until Lunch, but New Zealand found breakthroughs in the second session.
In just the second over of the middle session, Duffy got the ball to seam away from Campbell and got the batter to push at the delivery. The ball flew off the outside edge, which Bracewell caught well at first slip. In his next over, Duffy got Chanderpaul to inside edge a ball that Tom Latham caught diving to his right.
Alick Athanaze and Shai Hope put up the first show of resistance, batting together for nearly 10 overs before a hit-me ball from Bracewell consumed the former. Athanaze’s eyes lit up at the long-hop outside the off-stump and he attempted to pull it away, only to toe-end to mid-on. For the second time in the Test, Henry dismissed Roston Chase, and did it in the same manner – a full nipbacker nicked to Latham.
From 72 for 4, Shai Hope and Greaves dug in for the rest of the day. When Bracewell went short to Hope, the experienced batter cut it away past cover and swivel-pulled it through square-leg. Greaves drove and punched against Henry as the partnership soared. Hope reached his seventh Test fifty before Tea, and even launched Bracewell for a six over long-on.
New Zealand went into the final session a bowler short as Henry had to go to the hospital for scans on his calf. Shai Hope and Greaves grew in confidence against the remaining bowlers. Just before drinks, Hope brought up his century – off 139 balls, and the 100-run stand with Greaves.
The second hour of the session panned out similarly, with Greaves getting to his half-century. By Stumps, West Indies had already showed an improvement from the first innings. After being bundled out in 75.4 overs in the first dig, they reached the end of Day 4 at 212 for 4, having already batted for 74 overs. The next and last hurdle is the remaining three sessions in the fixture on Day 5.
What Lies Ahead on Day 5
West Indies have fought back well through Shai Hope and Justin Greaves to keep them afloat as the 140-run stand has taken the Test to the final day. New Zealand are handicapped with two bowlers short in Nathan Smith and Matt Henry and that will be crucial on Day 5. It is New Zealand who are still ahead in the game as a wicket could elicit a collapse. But it has been commendable to see the West Indies fight and fight hard. An engrossing final day’s play awaits us all.
Also Read:Â NZ VS WI: Jacob Duffy Strikes Twice As New Zealand Make Inroads To Take 4 Wickets