Every now and then, you get a Test match that just refuses to follow the script. It starts out looking pretty standard, takes a nosedive into desperation, and ends up somewhere in the realm of the miraculous. The first Test in Christchurch between New Zealand and the West Indies was exactly that kind of game, and it was absolutely brilliant to watch.
Key Highlights
- ✓ Justin Greaves scored an incredible unbeaten 202, batting for 564 minutes.
- ✓ Greaves and Kemar Roach put on a record-breaking 180-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
- ✓ West Indies batted for 163.3 overs, their longest fourth innings since 1930.
- ✓ Shai Hope contributed a crucial 140 while battling a painful eye infection.
- ✓ Veteran Kemar Roach scored his maiden Test fifty (58*) after a 16-year career.
What we witnessed was pure, bloody-minded defiance. With their backs against the wall, facing a monumental target of 531 or needing to survive two full days, the West Indies pulled off one of the most improbable draws in recent memory. The hero of the hour was Justin Greaves, whose marathon innings of 202 not out was a masterclass in grit and refusal to lose.
Setting the Scene: An Impossible Mountain to Climb
Let's be honest, things looked bleak for the West Indies. After being bundled out for a paltry 167 in their first innings, they were staring at a mammoth task. New Zealand had set them a target of 531 runs to win. More realistically, their job was to bat out nearly two entire days to save the match. For a team that had struggled in the first innings, this felt like mission impossible.
The final day began with the West Indies at 212/4. Shai Hope, who had bravely brought up his century the previous evening despite a nasty eye infection, was at the crease with Justin Greaves, who was on 55. The pair started the day with quiet determination, seeing off the first hour and adding a solid 55 runs. It was the kind of steady, composed batting that makes you lean forward and think, "Hang on... maybe?"
But just as that glimmer of possibility began to shine, it was snatched away. Just three overs after the drinks break, New Zealand's short-ball plan finally worked. After 239 balls of intense concentration, Hope pulled a delivery from Jacob Duffy, and the ball hung in the air just long enough for Tom Latham to take the catch. Soon after, Tevin Imlach was trapped LBW by Zakary Foulkes, and suddenly the West Indies were in deep, deep trouble. The rescue mission looked over before it had truly begun.
The Wall of Defiance: Greaves and Roach's Historic Stand
With victory a distant dream and defeat looming large, in walked Kemar Roach to join Justin Greaves. What followed was nothing short of legendary. Greaves, who was nervously sitting on 97 during the collapse, calmly reached his second Test century right after lunch. That personal milestone seemed to settle him, and from that point on, he and Roach built a partnership for the ages.
Together, they put on an unbeaten stand of 180 runs, facing a staggering 409 deliveries. This wasn't just a good partnership; it was a record for the seventh wicket, eclipsing a 35-year-old record held by Sachin Tendulkar and Manoj Prabhakar. They batted New Zealand into the ground, turning what should have been a routine victory for the hosts into a long, grueling day of toil.
The Kiwis threw everything they had at them. But they were hampered. Their frontline seamers, Matt Henry and Nathan Smith, were out with injuries. They had also burned all three of their reviews before the final session, a decision that would come back to haunt them spectacularly. On another day, a couple of close calls against Roach off spinner Michael Bracewell—one LBW, one caught behind—would have been overturned, and the story would be very different. But this day, fortune favored the brave.
A Tale of Two Innings: How NZ Built Their Fortress
To fully appreciate the scale of this West Indian escape, you have to rewind to Day 3. This is where New Zealand built the foundation for what should have been an easy win. After securing a modest 64-run first-innings lead, they came out and batted the visitors completely out of the game.
The architects of this dominance were Tom Latham (145) and Rachin Ravindra (176). The pair put on a massive 279-run stand for the third wicket, New Zealand's highest partnership against the West Indies since 1987. They were relentless, grinding down a tired bowling attack and transforming a small advantage into an insurmountable lead. By the time New Zealand declared, the West Indies were facing that daunting 531-run target.
Here's the kicker, though. It all could have been so different. Rachin Ravindra's magnificent innings almost never happened. He was dropped on just 8 runs when Kemar Roach couldn't hold on to a tough one-handed chance. Then, on 14, he was dropped again—this time a regulation catch at slip by Kavem Hodge. Those two moments of fielding lapse proved incredibly costly, allowing Ravindra to settle in and play the elegant, match-defining innings that put New Zealand in complete control.
The Final, Grueling Session
As the final session began, New Zealand's body language said it all. Shoulders sagged, throws from the field were sloppy, and a deep weariness had set in. They knew they'd done almost everything right, but the one thing that mattered—taking wickets—was eluding them. Roach, after bringing up his first-ever Test fifty in a 16-year career, was an impenetrable wall. He stayed on 53 for an incredible 72 balls, simply refusing to give his wicket away.
Meanwhile, Justin Greaves was battling severe cramps. The physical and mental toll of his epic innings was showing, and he was treated multiple times on the field. Yet, he pushed on, eventually bringing up his maiden Test double-hundred with a slash over gully. In a post-match interview, Greaves was quick to credit his partner: "Kemar, the senior pro, (he) guided me all the way," he said. That partnership was the perfect blend of a rising star and a seasoned veteran who understood exactly what the moment required.
As the day drew to a close, a draw was the only possible result. For the first time since 2020, a Test match in New Zealand ended without a winner. But for the West Indies, this draw felt every bit like a victory, earning them their first points in the new World Test Championship cycle.
Conclusion
The Christchurch Test will be remembered for its sheer drama and the unwavering spirit of the West Indies. The numbers are historic—Greaves' 202*, the record partnership, the longest fourth innings in 95 years. But this match was about more than just stats. It was a story of resilience, of a team that stared defeat in the face and simply refused to blink. It was a powerful reminder of why Test cricket is the ultimate format of the game, where guts and determination can forge a result that logic says shouldn't be possible.
