Greaves leads dramatic WI run chase in NZ Test nail-biter

AFP/APP

Christchurch: Centuries from Justin Greaves and Shai Hope ensured that the first Test between New Zealand and the West Indies will go down to the wire on the final day in Christchurch on Saturday.

At tea, the West Indies were 399-6, requiring a further 132 runs with four wickets remaining to pull off a historic victory.

Greaves was unbeaten on 157, while Kemar Roach was on 50, the highest Test score for both players.

Set a colossal target of 531—113 more than the current record for a successful fourth-innings run chase—the West Indies were in dire straits at 72-4.

But New Zealand were struggling with injuries to Matt Henry and Nathan Smith, reducing their pace attack to just Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes, both of whom are playing only their second Test.

The flat wicket also offered little assistance to the spinners, allowing Greaves and Hope to turn the West Indies innings around with a superb 196-run stand for the fifth wicket.

When Hope fell for 140 and Tevin Imlach followed soon after for four, the West Indies slipped to 277-6.

Duffy removed Hope thanks to a stunning leg-side catch by wicketkeeper Tom Latham, while Imlach was trapped lbw by Foulkes.

Roach and Greaves have since added 122 for the seventh wicket.

Roach was dropped on 30 and again on 47, and he also survived an attempted run-out when the throw missed the stumps.

Duffy has taken 3-97 for New Zealand, following his five wickets in the first innings.