Justin Greaves Hit 202 Run Again England

Justin Greaves Hit 202 Run Again England Read the full match report, innings analysis, and scorecard of the draw

justin Greaves’ Unbeaten 202 Defies History

Date: December 6, 2025

Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Match: West Indies vs. New Zealand, 1st Test

In the annals of Test cricket, certain innings transcend mere statistics to become legends of resilience. On a cool Saturday evening in Christchurch, Justin Greaves etched his name into that history with a monumental, unbeaten 202 against New Zealand. While the cricket world had its eyes split between various tours, Greaves produced an innings of such stubborn brilliance that it single-handedly saved a Test match that had seemed lost days prior.

The Impossible Equation

The context of this innings is vital to understanding its grandeur. The West Indies arrived on Day 5 chasing a ghost—a world-record target of 531 runs. New Zealand, led by a century from Rachin Ravindra, had declared aggressively, confident that their depleted but dangerous bowling attack could roll over the visitors. When the West Indies slipped to 212-4, with the heroic Shai Hope departing for a magnificent 140, the writing seemed to be on the wall. The visitors were still over 300 runs adrift, and the new ball was looming.

Enter Justin Greaves.

A Masterclass in Patience

Walking out to bat with his team in precarious waters, Greaves didn’t just bat; he occupied the crease with the sort of bloody-minded determination that recalls the greats of West Indian resistance. This was not a T20-style counter-attack, but a classical Test match vigil.

Greaves faced a staggering 388 balls—over 64 overs of play absorbed by one man. His unbeaten 202 was a study in concentration. He left balls outside off-stump with forensic precision and defended with a dead bat that offered the Kiwi bowlers no encouragement. When they overpitched, he drove beautifully through the covers, tallying 19 boundaries, but these were merely punctuation marks in a long sentence of defense.

The Roach-Greaves Wall

The true drama unfolded in the final sessions. As partners fell, veteran pacer Kemar Roach joined Greaves. New Zealand, sensing victory, crowded the bat. They tried short balls, yorkers, and spin, but Greaves shielded Roach initially, only to find that Roach was in no mood to surrender either.

The pair constructed an unbroken partnership of 180 runs—a defiance that broke the spirit of the New Zealand attack. Greaves passed his 150, then his 175, and finally, with the shadows lengthening across Hagley Oval, he tucked a single to reach his maiden Test double century. It was the first time a West Indian batter had scored a double century in the fourth innings of a Test match since the glory days of the 1980s.

Denying the Kiwis

When the umpires finally called time, the West Indies had reached a staggering 457/6. They hadn’t won the match, but in the context of a 531-run chase, a draw felt like a victory. The “Christchurch Miracle,” as it was immediately dubbed, was built entirely on Greaves’ refusal to yield.

“We knew if we batted time, the runs would take care of themselves,” Greaves said at the post-match presentation, clutching the Player of the Match stump. “It wasn’t about the 200; it was about being there at the end.”