Record West Indies performance denies New Zealand in Christchurch
Justin Greaves, Shai Hope and Kemar Roach help West Indies post the biggest fourth innings Test total in over 80 years.
An unbeaten double century from Justin Greaves, 140 from Shai Hope and fighting fifty from Kemar Roach has saved the West Indies from defeat in the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.
The tourists finished the day at 457/6 to save the Test match, the highest fourth innings total in history outside of the 654/6 England made in famous timeless Test match of 1939 against South Africa in Durban.
The draw also delivers the tourists their first points in the new World Test Championship cycle, after five defeats to begin the campaign.
West Indies began the day at 212/4 in pursuit of 531, with Greaves resuming on 55 and joining Hope who had brought up a century on the evening of day four. The pair put on a further 56, before Hope fell to a short-ball ploy from Jacob Duffy.
Tevin Imlach (6) fell lbw to Zak Foulkes soon after, and brought about the entry of Roach who at first upped the tempo in pursuit of an unlikely victory.
The pair of Roach and Greaves were largely untroubled throughout the middle session, adding 104 runs, though with scoring rate for victory out of the question, the pair pulled the reins back in a bid to prevent defeat.
Fighting cramps and treated multiple times in the last session, Greaves continued to toil, and brought up his first Test double ton with a slash over gully.
A resolute Roach at the other end looked impenetrable, finishing with 58* off 233 balls, after making his first 50 in just 110 deliveries.
Greaves, who claimed Player of the Match honours, paid tribute to his batting partner.
"Kemar, the senior pro, (he) guided me all the way," he said on the television broadcast.
"Coach (Daren Sammy) told me 'once you get in, stay in.'
"To be a part of history is exciting, but for me, it's one day at a time. For us, it was just about getting into the last session - 100 runs in the last session - but losing Shai was a big thing for us."
The teams travel to Wellington for the second Test, beginning on December 10.
