Hope and Greaves Stand Firm in Christchurch

New Zealand appeared to be cruising towards victory at the end of the third day of the Christchurch Test. Their dominance continued through the early exchanges of the fourth day, with signs suggesting the match might wrap up swiftly. The visitors, chasing an improbable target of 531, collapsed to 72 for 4, seemingly placing the contest beyond their reach.

With nearly one and a half sessions left on the day, Shai Hope and Justin Greaves produced a remarkable fightback. Their unbroken 140-run stand for the fifth wicket guided West Indies to 212 for 4 at stumps in their second innings, with Hope unbeaten on 116 and Greaves on 55.

Earlier, New Zealand had resumed on 417 for 4 and added 49 more runs before losing four wickets on the fourth morning. They declared the innings at 466, setting a target no team has ever successfully chased in Test history. The highest successful chase remains 418.

West Indies stumbled early in their pursuit. John Campbell departed in the 13th over with the score on ২৪, and an over later Tejnaraine Chanderpaul fell to Jacob Duffy. Matt Henry and Michael Bracewell then removed Alick Athanaze and captain Roston Chase, leaving West Indies tottering at 72 for 4.

From there, Hope and Greaves built their dogged resistance, facing 275 balls between them. Greaves occupied the crease for 143 deliveries, while Hope played 132. Despite sustained effort, the New Zealand bowlers failed to separate the pair.

The outcome of the match now hinges on how long they can continue on the final day. West Indies require a further 319 runs with six wickets in hand.

Score Summary 

—End of Day Four
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