Justin Greaves delivered a nine-and-a-half-hour batting master-class before inscribing his name in the Caribbean folklore after his maiden Test double hundred helped an unlikely draw for West Indies in the opening Test against New Zealand on Saturday.
The 31-year-old’s unbeaten 202 guided West Indies to finish a mammoth total of 457 for the loss of six wickets, which has been the second-highest fourth-innings total in Test match history. West Indies were chasing an unbelievable victory target of 531 at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.
Greaves never choose to show fireworks. Rather, he was patient, executing the grit and determination against the New Zealand attack, depleted by mid-match injuries to pacers Nathan Smith and Matt Henry. Greaves was on the wicket for nine-and-a-half hours, playing 388 deliveries, which finally forced New Zealand to accept a draw. West Indies were able to earn their first point in the new World Test Championship cycle, thanks to Greaves’ magnificent innings.
Greaves forged a 196-run stand with Shai Hope (140) and then raised 180 with Kemar Roach (58) for the unbroken seventh wicket for a pride-restoring draw that felt as good as a win.
The elated batsman said after receiving the man-of-the-match award, “It was undoubtedly a special day for me, and a special day for the team.” West Indies did not push for an unlikely victory in the final session, and Greaves felt he and his team displayed enough resilience with their second-innings batting.
“It’s a word that we’ve thrown around in the dressing room a lot. So for me to be there at the end was really important. Anything for the team at the end of the day,” he said.
