Greaves leads dramatic West Indies run chase in NZ Test nail-biter

Christchurch, New Zealand,  6 Dec - Centuries from Justin Greaves and Shai Hope ensured 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 if they are to achieve a historic victory.

Greaves was not-out 157 and Kemar Roach 50, the highest Test score for both.

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 are playing only their second Test.

The flat wicket also offered little help to the spinners as Greaves and Hope turned the West Indies innings around with a 196-run stand for the fifth wicket.

When Hope went for 140 and Tevin Imlach followed for four, the West Indies were 277-6.

Duffy took Hope's wicket courtesy of a stunning leg-side catch by wicketkeeper Tom Latham and Imlach was trapped lbw by Foulkes.

Roach and Greaves have put on 122 for the seventh wicket.

Roach was dropped on 30 and 47 and survived an attempted run-out when the throw went wide of the stumps.

Duffy has taken 3-97 for New Zealand to go with his five wickets in the first innings.BSS