WI vs NZ 1st Test: Greaves’ Historic Double Century Secures Incredible Draw for West Indies

By Kuldeep Panwar | Christchurch: In a display of sheer grit and determination, Justin Greaves scripted history as the West Indies salvaged a remarkable draw against New Zealand in the 1st Test at Christchurch. Chasing an impossible target of 530 runs, the West Indies fought back in the fourth innings, finishing 6 wickets down for 457 runs.

Shai Hope Sets the Stage, Greaves Steals the Show

West Indies’ monumental chase began with Shai Hope, who battled through an eye infection to score a commanding 140, keeping his team in contention. However, it was Greaves, playing just his 12th Test, who turned the impossible into reality. Facing 388 balls over 9.5 hours, he scored a historic 202* in the fourth innings, becoming only the 7th batsman in Test history to achieve a double century in the final innings. His innings included 19 boundaries and a resilient partnership of 180 runs with Kemar Roach for the seventh wicket, ensuring the match ended in a draw. Greaves was deservedly named Player of the Match.

Breaking Records: 95 Years of History Rewritten

West Indies batted a total of 163.3 overs in their fourth innings, marking the longest fourth innings in the team’s 95-year Test history. This marathon effort also earned the West Indies their first World Test Championship points of the season.

New Zealand had earlier set up a strong position with 466/8 declared, including 145 from Tom Latham and 176 from Rachin Ravindra, after dismissing the West Indies for 167 in their first innings. With over 160 overs required for survival, many expected the West Indies to crumble. Yet, Hope and Greaves defied all odds.

Fourth-Innings Double Centuries: A Rare Feat

Greaves joins an elite list of batsmen to score 200+ in the fourth innings of a Test:

• George Headley (WI) – 223 vs England, 1930
• Bill Edrich (ENG) – 219 vs South Africa, 1939
• Sunil Gavaskar (IND) – 221 vs England, 1979
• Gordon Greenidge (WI) – 214* vs England, 1984
• Nathan Astle (NZ) – 222 vs England, 2002
• Kyle Mayers (WI) – 210* vs Bangladesh, 2021
• Justin Greaves (WI) – 202* vs New Zealand, 2025

West Indies’ feat also makes them only the fifth team in Test history to score 450+ in a fourth innings, the last being New Zealand in 2002 at Christchurch.