West Indies Stand Strong as Hope Hits a Century
West Indies ended day four on 212 for 4. They made 167 in the first innings. They still trail New Zealand by 319 runs. New Zealand made 231 and then 466 for 8 declared.
But Shai Hope and Justin Greaves kept West Indies in the match. They showed calm skill on a pitch that is now much easier to bat on.
New Zealand had a hard day with the ball. They had only two fit main bowlers. The strain showed. Hope had missed time on day three due to an eye issue. He came back with dark glasses under his helmet and made a fine 116 not out. He also made 56 in the first innings. This means he has two hundreds in his last three Test innings.
Greaves was steady at the other end. He is known for bold strokes. But this time he played with care. He made 55 not out from 143 balls. Hope and Greaves added 140 runs for the fifth wicket. They forced the New Zealand bowlers to bowl long spells in the hot sun.
Injuries made things worse for New Zealand. Nathan Smith could not take the field due to a side strain. Matt Henry left after 35 overs to get scans. Tom Blundell was already out with a bad hamstring, so Tom Latham had to keep wicket. He also had to manage a weak attack. He used part-time spin from Rachin Ravindra and Michael Bracewell, plus Jacob Duffy’s pace. The pitch grew flat with the old ball, and the West Indies batters looked calm.
Hope played smart cricket. Duffy bowled many short balls. The field was set for the pull shot. But Hope left or ducked most of them. He pulled only when he felt safe. His hundred came from 139 balls. It was calm, neat, and sure.
Greaves faced the same plan. He stayed close to his body. He used his height well. He played the spinners more freely but did not lose focus. His main aim was to stay at the crease.
The start of the innings was poor for West Indies. Tagenarine Chanderpaul and John Campbell had trouble with the new ball from Will O’Rourke and Henry. Chanderpaul moved across too much and gloved a short ball for 6 off 45. Campbell poked at an outswinger and fell for a low catch. He had been hit on the boot earlier and looked uneasy.
Alick Athanaze never settled. He tried to pull Bracewell but mis-hit it. Roston Chase fell the same way he did in the first innings, stuck on the crease to Henry. At 72 for 4, West Indies looked set for a defeat inside four days.
Hope and Greaves changed the scene. They slowed the game and did not give away chances. The goal of chasing 531 runs is far beyond reach. But they pushed the match into day five.
New Zealand had shocked many by batting again in the morning. It was likely done to rest their bowlers on a flat pitch. Kemar Roach took three of the four wickets to fall. He ended with 5 for 78 and now has 290 Test wickets.
