Trinidad: Greaves achieves historic five consecutive wicket maidens in Test cricket
West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves achieved a historic milestone 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 register five consecutive wicket maidens. This performance significantly impacted the third day’s play, tearing through the visitors’ batting order.
Greaves’ exceptional spell, delivered on either side of the lunch break, marked his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket. His achievement surpassed the previous record of four consecutive wicket maidens, set by former England fast bowler Stuart Broad against South Africa in Johannesburg in January 2016.
Reflecting on his performance, Greaves stated that he maintained a simple approach, following the advice of West Indies skipper Roston Chase. Chase had encouraged him to remain disciplined and bowl in good areas to secure wickets for the team. Greaves noted that the ball was nipping around, which allowed him to reap the rewards of his consistent bowling.
Greaves expressed his satisfaction with achieving his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, while also acknowledging that there was still considerable work remaining in the match. He highlighted that when he has the ball in hand, the team often looks to him to be a reliable player capable of extracting them from challenging situations.
Before Greaves’ impactful spell, Pakistan appeared to be building a strong lead in their first innings, standing at 244/3. Former captain Shan Masood had just reached his century, indicating a solid position for the team. However, Greaves initiated a collapse by dismissing Masood, marking a turning point in Pakistan’s innings.
Following Masood’s dismissal, Greaves continued his dominant performance. He removed 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 the West Indies’ first innings total of 311.
After the lunch interval, Greaves completed his historic feat by having Mohammad Abbas caught behind in his first over. This wicket secured his five consecutive wicket maidens. Pakistan was subsequently bowled out for 282, largely due to the experienced right-armer’s inspired seam bowling.
On the second day of the first Test, Pakistan had concluded play in a strong position, reaching 199/3 in response to the West Indies’ 311. Shan Masood, who had recently stepped down from captaincy, led the recovery with an unbeaten 88. He was supported by Imam-ul-Haq, who scored 63, as they formed a crucial 155-run partnership.
Pakistan had lost an early wicket on day two 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 eleventh Test fifty before his dismissal. New captain Babar Azam contributed 23 runs before falling late in the day, with Salman Agha remaining unbeaten alongside Masood at stumps, as bad light brought an early end to play.
Earlier in the match, the West Indies were bowled out for 311 after resuming their innings on day two at 194/3. Shai Hope was the top scorer with 92 runs, narrowly missing a century, while Kavem Hodge added 84 runs. Hope anchored the innings, receiving useful contributions from Shamar Joseph, who scored a quick 23 runs, despite losing partners regularly.
Pakistan’s bowlers managed to regain control after the West Indies’ strong start. Mohammad Ali claimed four wickets, and Mohammad Abbas took three wickets, making an immediate impact with the second new ball. Khurram Shahzad also contributed by removing Hodge early, helping Pakistan conclude the West Indies’ innings before their batters, led by Masood and Imam, took control.
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*) remaining at the crease ahead of the fourth day’s play. The first Test is scheduled to conclude on July 29 in Tarouba, with the second Test set for August 2-6 in Port of Spain.
Source: icc-cricket.com
