Trinidad: Greaves achieves historic five-wicket maiden spell for West Indies
West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves made history on Monday during the first ICC World Test Championship Test against Pakistan in Trinidad. Greaves became the first bowler in Test cricket, since records became widely available, to achieve five consecutive wicket maidens. This significant feat occurred on the third day of the match, with Greaves delivering a game-changing spell that dismantled the visitors’ batting order.
Greaves’ performance marked his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, surpassing the previous record of four consecutive wicket maidens set by former England fast bowler Stuart Broad against South Africa in Johannesburg in January 2016.
Greaves’ impactful spell
The right-arm seamer’s impactful spell came at a crucial juncture in the match. Pakistan had appeared to be building a strong lead in their first innings, positioned at 244/3, with Shan Masood having just completed his century. However, Greaves initiated a collapse by dismissing the former captain, setting the stage for his remarkable achievement.
Following Masood’s dismissal, Greaves continued his dominant bowling, removing Aamer Jamal, Ali Usman, and Mohammad Rizwan in successive overs without conceding any runs. This exceptional display left Pakistan struggling at 267/8 by the lunch break, facing considerable difficulty in response to the West Indies‘ first innings total of 311.
After lunch, Greaves completed his historic run of five consecutive wicket maidens by having Mohammad Abbas caught behind in his first over. This inspired spell of seam bowling from the experienced player ultimately led to Pakistan being all out for 282.
Team’s first innings and Pakistan’s response
The West Indies had posted a first innings total of 311. Their innings saw Shai Hope top-scoring with 92 runs, narrowly missing a century, while Kavem Hodge contributed 84. Hope played a crucial role in anchoring the innings, even as partners fell around him. Shamar Joseph also made a quick contribution of 23 runs.
Pakistan‘s bowlers had worked to contain the West Indies after a solid start. Mohammad Ali secured four wickets, and Mohammad Abbas claimed three, making an immediate impact with the second new ball. Khurram Shahzad also took an early wicket, dismissing Hodge, which helped Pakistan conclude the West Indies‘ innings.
On Day 2, Pakistan had ended in a strong position, reaching 199/3 in reply to the West Indies‘ 311. Shan Masood, who had recently stepped down from the captaincy, led their recovery with an unbeaten 88. He was supported by Imam-ul-Haq, who scored 63, forming a significant 155-run partnership. Pakistan lost an early wicket when Azan Awais was bowled by Kemar Roach, but Masood and Imam stabilized the innings with positive play.
Masood reached his half-century in 46 balls, while Imam achieved his 11th Test fifty before being dismissed. New captain Babar Azam added 23 runs before falling late on Day 2. Salman Agha remained unbeaten alongside Masood at stumps, as bad light brought an early close to play. Despite Greaves’ heroics, Pakistan managed to fight back before stumps on the third day, reducing the hosts to 126/7. This gave Pakistan an overall lead of 155 runs, with Shamar Joseph (22*) and Kemar Roach (5*) still at the crease ahead of the fourth day of the match.
Source: icc-cricket.com
