Shai Hope's Century Sparks West Indies' Resilience Against New Zealand

On Day 4 of the first Test, Shai Hope's remarkable century helped West Indies stage a comeback against New Zealand. With Hope scoring 116 not out and Justin Greaves contributing 55, the team reached 212/4 at stumps, needing 319 runs to win. New Zealand set a challenging target of 531 runs after being bowled out for 466 in their second innings. The match saw significant performances from both sides, including Kemar Roach's five-wicket haul. Discover the full details of this thrilling encounter.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 6, 2025, 02:19 IST

West Indies Fight Back on Day 4 of First Test

Christchurch [New Zealand], December 5: In a remarkable display of skill, veteran batter Shai Hope scored a brilliant century, leading West Indies in a strong comeback against New Zealand on the fourth day of the first Test.

At the end of Day 4, West Indies stood at 212/4 after 74 overs, with Shai Hope remaining not out at 116 and Justin Greaves contributing an unbeaten 55. The visitors now need 319 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series.

The day began with New Zealand resuming their innings at 414/4, with Will Young (21*) and Michael Bracewell (6*) at the crease.

West Indies pacer Jayden Seales struck early, dismissing Young in the second ball of the 98th over. Young managed to score 23 runs off 21 balls, hitting three boundaries.

Following Young's dismissal, Zakary Foulkes and Bracewell aggressively targeted the bowlers, hitting quick runs until Kemar Roach ended Bracewell's innings at 24 runs off 44 balls.

Roach then took the wicket of Matt Henry for eight runs, marking his 290th Test wicket, before completing his five-wicket haul by dismissing Jacob Duffy. New Zealand was all out for 466 runs in their second innings.

Setting a daunting target of 531 runs, Roach finished with impressive figures of 5/78 in 22 overs.

West Indies navigated a crucial 11 overs, reaching 20-0 at lunch on Day 4, with John Campbell (11*) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (5*) not out.

New Zealand's Jacob Duffy made a significant impact in the second session, quickly removing both openers—Campbell for 15 and Chanderpaul for 6—leaving West Indies at 25-2 in their chase for 561 runs.

Shai Hope and Alick Athanaze attempted to stabilize the innings, but Vracewell dismissed Athanaze for just 5 runs, marking West Indies' third wicket at 53 runs.

Matt Henry then took Roston Chase's wicket for five runs, leaving West Indies struggling at 72/4.

Despite being tested with short balls, Hope stood firm and reached his fourth Test century in 139 deliveries.

Duffy employed a similar strategy against Justin Greaves, who managed to fend off the short balls effectively. By tea, West Indies had reached 107/4, with Hope (57*) and Greaves (16*) still at the crease.

After the break, both batters continued to build their partnership, with Hope hitting three boundaries against Duffy in the 54th over, pushing West Indies past the 150-run mark.

Hope celebrated his century in the 57th over, while Greaves reached his fifty in the 68th over. Together, they formed an unbeaten 140-run partnership for the fifth wicket, showcasing West Indies' resilience as Day 4 came to a close.

Earlier, New Zealand's first innings saw a half-century from Williamson, but they were bowled out for 231, thanks to a strong bowling performance from West Indies.

Kemar Roach (2/47), Jayden Seales (2/44), Johann Layne (1/47), Ojay Shields (2/34), Justin Greaves (2/35), and captain Roston Chase (1/13) were key wicket-takers for West Indies in the first innings.

In response, West Indies were all out for 167, with Tagenarine Chanderpaul (52) and Shai Hope (56) providing notable contributions. Jacob Duffy's five-wicket haul (5/34) and support from Matt Henry (3/43) and Zakary Foulkes (2/32) helped New Zealand secure a 64-run lead.