Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.
Venue—Hagley Oval, Christchurch [December 2-6, 2025].
In the summer of 2025, the West Indies Cricket Team toured New Zealand to play 5 T20 Internationals, 3 ODIs, and 3 Test Matches. The hosts won the T20 Series 3-1 and the ODI Series 3-0 as the visitors struggled against a formidable New Zealand side. After facing defeats in white-ball cricket, the tour reached Christchurch for the first test match. The visiting captain, Roston Chase, won the toss and decided to bowl first on what looked like a spicy wicket.
The decision turned out to be a good one, as the hosts were bowled out for just 231 in their first innings. Apart from Williamson, no Kiwi batsman was able to cross the 50-run mark. However, the Kiwis did make a strong comeback in the game as they dismissed the Windies for just 167 in their first innings. Jacob Duffy bowled a remarkable spell of 5-34 as the Black Caps took a crucial 64-run lead in the first innings.
Interestingly, to everyone's surprise, the pitch, which looked bowler-friendly in the first couple of days, turned into a batting paradise for the next 3 days of the game. Captain Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra scored magnificent centuries in the second innings as the Kiwis declared at a massive total of 466/8. Latham scored a gritty 145 off 250 deliveries, whereas Rachin Ravindra played an aggressive knock of 176 in just 185 balls. In an innings that lasted for around 4 hours, Ravindra hit 27 boundaries and one six as the Windies struggled for wickets.
The Visitors were now required to chase down 531 runs in around 164 overs to win the game. A win was almost impossible, and a draw at this stage looked like gold dust. To make matters worse, the Windies top order collapsed in no time as the visitors were reduced to 72/4 in 28.3 overs. This is when Justin Greaves joined Shai Hope in the center. The game was on a knife-edge. One more wicket and the Kiwis would have steamrolled the remaining batsmen.
However, this is when Justin Greaves played the knock of his life. Firstly, he shared a partnership of 196 runs with Shai Hope and brought the Windies back into the game. After Hope was dismissed for a magnificent 140, he stitched an unbeaten partnership of 180 runs with Kemar Roach, which lasted for around 69 overs.
In an innings that lasted for a staggering 564 minutes, Greaves scored an incredible 202* and saved his side from defeat. It was truly a masterclass. Everyone was up on their toes, as what they saw in Christchurch was nothing short of a miracle. However, one must also give credit to Roach, who also batted for around 5 hours and scored an unbeaten 58 in 233 deliveries and took Windies out from the jaws of defeat.
To be honest, at one stage it even appeared that the Windies could chase the total. But eventually it ended in a respectable draw. Unfortunately the visitors failed to maintain the momentum in the next two tests, as the Kiwis won the series 2-0. However, despite the defeat, people will remember the West Indies' resistance in Christchurch for a long time.
To watch the Highlights of the Test Match, Click Here.
