Trinidad: Greaves achieves historic five-wicket maiden spell in Test cricket
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 to record five consecutive wicket maidens since records became widely available. This significant achievement occurred on the third day of the match, with Greaves delivering a game-changing spell that impacted Pakistan‘s batting order.
Greaves’ performance marked his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket. His feat surpassed the previous record of four consecutive wicket maidens, which was set by former England fast bowler Stuart Broad against South Africa in Johannesburg in January 2016.
Greaves’ impactful spell
Greaves attributed his success to a simple approach, following advice from West Indies captain Roston Chase. Chase encouraged him to maintain discipline and bowl in good areas to secure wickets for the team. Greaves noted that the ball was nipping around, allowing him to reap the rewards of his consistent bowling.
The all-rounder expressed his satisfaction with achieving his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket but also acknowledged that there was still considerable work to be done in the match. His spell was crucial in shifting the momentum of the game.
Before Greaves’ intervention, Pakistan appeared to be building a strong lead in their first innings, positioned at 244/3. Former captain Shan Masood had just completed his century, indicating a solid partnership for the visitors. However, Greaves initiated a collapse by dismissing Masood.
Following Masood’s dismissal, Greaves continued his impactful bowling, taking the wickets of Aamer Jamal, Ali Usman, and Mohammad Rizwan in successive overs without conceding any runs. This rapid succession of wickets left Pakistan struggling at 267/8 by lunch, facing significant trouble in response to West Indies‘ first innings total of 311.
After the lunch break, Greaves completed his five consecutive wicket maidens by having Mohammad Abbas caught behind in his first over. This inspired spell of seam bowling from the experienced right-armer led to Pakistan being all out for 282, falling short of West Indies‘ first innings total.
Match context and team performances
On Day 2, Pakistan had ended in a strong position, reaching 199/3 in response to West Indies‘ 311. Shan Masood played a key role in their recovery, scoring an unbeaten 88 after recently stepping down from the captaincy. He was supported by Imam-ul-Haq, who contributed 63 runs, with the pair forming a crucial 155-run partnership.
Pakistan lost an early wicket when Azan Awais was bowled by Kemar Roach. However, Masood and Imam stabilised the innings with positive strokeplay. Masood reached his half-century quickly, while Imam achieved his 11th Test fifty before being dismissed. New captain Babar Azam added 23 runs before his dismissal late in the day, with Salman Agha remaining unbeaten alongside Masood at stumps, as bad light brought an early close to play.
Earlier in the match, West Indies were bowled out for 311, having resumed their innings at 194/3. Shai Hope was the top scorer for West Indies with 92 runs, narrowly missing a century, while Kavem Hodge made 84. Hope anchored the innings despite losing partners regularly, receiving useful contributions from Shamar Joseph, who scored a quick 23.
Pakistan‘s bowlers had managed to pull things back after West Indies‘ strong start. Mohammad Ali secured four wickets, and Mohammad Abbas claimed three wickets, making an immediate impact with the second new ball. Khurram Shahzad also contributed by taking an early wicket, helping Pakistan conclude West Indies‘ innings before their batters, led by Masood and Imam, took control.
Despite Greaves’ historic spell, Pakistan managed to fight back before stumps on Day 3, reducing the hosts to 126/7. This gave West Indies an overall lead of 155 runs, with Shamar Joseph (22*) and Kemar Roach (5*) remaining at the crease ahead of the fourth day of the match. The first Test is scheduled to conclude on July 29 in Tarouba.
Source: icc-cricket.com
