Test cricket, at its finest, is a relentless examination of willpower, patience, and grit. Few matches in recent memory have embodied these qualities quite like the opening Test between West Indies and New Zealand at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, which ended in a dramatic draw on December 6, 2025. The contest, marked by extraordinary individual feats and collective resilience, will be remembered as one of the great escape acts in the annals of the sport.
Chasing a daunting 531 for victory after being dismissed for a paltry 167 in their first innings, West Indies found themselves staring down the barrel at 72 for 4. The odds? Heavily stacked against the visitors. Yet, what followed was a remarkable display of character and endurance, culminating in West Indies closing on 457 for 6 after an epic 163.3 overs at the crease—the highest fourth-innings total ever recorded in a traditional five-day Test match.
The architects of this historic resistance were Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, and Kemar Roach, whose names are now etched into cricket folklore. Greaves, in particular, stood tall with an unbeaten 202, his maiden Test double century, and became only the fourth West Indian and seventh batter in history to score a double hundred in the fourth innings of a Test. Even more astonishing, his 202 not out stands as the only unbeaten fourth-innings double ton in a drawn match—a testament to his composure under pressure.
Greaves’ marathon knock was built on two monumental partnerships. First, he joined forces with Shai Hope for a 196-run stand that transformed the mood in the West Indies dressing room. Hope, coming off a strong tour of India, played a sublime hand of 140, providing the bedrock for the fightback. When Hope eventually fell to a well-directed bouncer from Jacob Duffy, the task still seemed insurmountable. But Greaves found an unflappable ally in Kemar Roach, and together they stitched an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership worth 180 runs—spanning 409 deliveries, the longest lower-order fourth-innings partnership (below the fifth wicket) ever recorded in a drawn Test.
Roach’s contribution was nothing short of heroic. Batting at number eight, he weathered 233 balls for his unbeaten 58, setting a new benchmark for tailenders (positions 8–11) in Test history as the first to face more than 200 deliveries in the fourth innings to save a match. There were nervy moments—two dropped catches, a run-out scare, and several close lbw calls—but Roach’s resilience never wavered. As Greaves later reflected, “I’ll just say pretty much resilient. It’s a word that we’ve thrown around in the dressing room a lot. So for me to be there at the end, you know, was really important. So anything for the team at the end of the day. Special, special day for me. Special day for the team.”
West Indies captain Roston Chase was effusive in his praise, stating, “Obviously, a Herculean effort by Justin Greaves. He’s someone that I grew up playing cricket with, so I’m very proud for this moment, for him, and obviously for Kemar Roach ... He’s a modern day legend, and I’m happy for these guys, and happy that we could achieve what we did.” Chase also acknowledged the significance of the result in the context of the World Test Championship, noting, “Feels lovely, first points for us in the Test Championship, happy to get off the mark. Very happy for Justin Greaves. Also, really happy for Roach as he played brilliantly on return to Test cricket.”
The draw was as much a testament to West Indies’ resolve as it was a tale of missed opportunities for New Zealand. The hosts, having set a mammoth target and reduced the visitors to 72 for 4, would have been forgiven for thinking the win was a formality. However, their hopes were hampered by a cruel twist of fate as two key pacers, Matt Henry and Nathan Smith, succumbed to injury mid-match. Their absence forced New Zealand to rely heavily on the part-time spin of Michael Bracewell and Rachin Ravindra, as well as the tireless efforts of Jacob Duffy, who bowled a staggering 60 overs and claimed three wickets, including the crucial scalp of Hope.
New Zealand’s captain Tom Latham summed up the frustration, saying, “It had it all, really. The way we were able to put ourselves in a position to win a Test match was what we were after, and for it to head down to the final hour with all three results on the cards—it was a great Test match to be involved in. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get the breakthroughs we wanted to put some pressure on that lower order. We managed to create enough opportunities, just unfortunately weren’t able to take them.” Latham also highlighted the impact of losing Henry and Smith: “It’s obvious how big the loss of Nathan Smith and Matt Henry was. When two of your seamers go down during a Test match, it’s never ideal. The work that Zach and Jacob put in throughout that innings—the amount of overs they bowled, the way they kept coming, never complained, just got on with it and threw everything they could at the West Indies.”
Adding to New Zealand’s woes, the team ran out of reviews late on the final day, unable to challenge a pair of tight calls that might have shifted the momentum. The pitch, which flattened out as the match wore on, certainly aided the West Indies’ cause, but nothing can be taken away from the sheer determination displayed by Greaves, Roach, and Hope.
The records tumbled as the innings wore on: West Indies’ 457 for 6 is now the highest fourth-innings total in a five-day Test, their 163.3 overs the second-longest fourth innings to save a Test in the 21st century, and Greaves and Roach’s partnership a new standard for lower-order resistance. As the players shook hands and the crowd at Hagley Oval rose in applause, there was a sense that both teams had contributed to a classic.
With the second Test scheduled to begin in Wellington on December 9, both sides will have little time to reflect. For West Indies, the challenge will be to build on this momentum and address their struggles in the first innings. For New Zealand, the hope is for a fit bowling attack and a chance to convert dominance into victory.
As the dust settles on this remarkable contest, one thing is clear: Test cricket’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to produce the unexpected, and on this occasion, the West Indies have reminded the world just how thrilling that can be.
