West Indies racked-up the highest total in the fourth-innings of a time-bound Test as they held on for an extraordinary draw on the final day against New Zealand in Christchurch. Here's every record they broke in the process.
New Zealand set West Indies 531 to win in the final innings of the first Test of the three-match series between the two sides, after Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra scored centuries in the Blackcaps' second dig. West Indies were in trouble early when they were reduced to 72-4, with three of their top five unable to reach double figures. However, Shai Hope and Justin Greaves put on a 196-run partnership, both passing into triple digits. While Hope was eventually dismissed for 140, Greaves carried on well past that. It was only the third time two batters have scored 140 or more in the fourth innings of a Test match.
1st Test, New Zealand vs West Indies
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Full list: Most balls faced by a No.8 in the fourth innings of a Test match
| Player | Runs scored | Balls faced | Team | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| Kemar Roach | 58* | 233 | West Indies | New Zealand | Christchurch | 2025 |
| Ajit Agarkar | 109* | 190 | India | England | Lord's | 2002 |
| Asoka de Silva | 50 | 189 | Sri Lanka | Australia | Hobart | 1989 |
| Daniel Vettori | 140 | 189 | New Zealand | Sri Lanka | Colombo | 2009 |
| Matt Prior | 110* | 182 | England | New Zealand | Auckland | 2013 |
After Hope was caught behind by Latham off the bowling of Jacob Duffy, Tevin Imlach lasted only nine balls before he was trapped lbw. That brought Kemar Roach to the crease to join Greaves. Roach, who was recalled to the West Indies' side for this series and was playing his first Test since January, had taken his 12th Test five-wicket-haul in New Zealand's second innings. Arguably, the 233 balls he faced on the final day were a more significant contribution – the most balls faced by a No.8 in the fourth innings of a Test. His 58* was also his highest-ever first-class score. Greaves and Roach's partnership, which finished on 180*, was also the highest for the seventh wicket in the fourth innings of a Test, surpassing Manoj Prabhakar and Sachin Tendulkar in Manchester in 1990.
Greaves, however, was the star of the show. He and Roach batted out the day and in the penultimate over of the match, Greaves reached a remarkable double-hundred. It made him the seventh player to score a double-century in the fourth innings of a Test match, and the fourth from West Indies. It was also the first Test double-hundred by a No.6 batter in the fourth innings, and the second-most balls faced in a fourth-innings Test double-hundred.
Full list: Highest Test fourth innings totals
| Team | Total | Result | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| England | 654-5 | Draw | South Africa | Durban | 1939 |
| West Indies | 457-6 | Draw | New Zealand | Christchurch | 2025 |
| New Zealand | 451 | Lost | England | Christchurch | 2002 |
| South Africa | 450-7 | Draw | India | Johannesburg | 2013 |
| Pakistan | 450 | Lost | Australia | Brisbane | 2016 |
Four balls after Greaves reached his double, the players shook hands to seal the draw, with West Indies on 457-6. Their total is the highest score in the fourth innings of a non timeless Test, with the only total above them being England's 654-5 in 1939, when a draw was reached on the 10th day of play. They surpassed New Zealand's 451 all-out against England, also at Christchurch, in 2002. It is also the West Indies' longest fourth-innings in terms of overs bowled since 1930. They batted for 163.3 overs.
All of that meant New Zealand had a gruelling two days in the field. By the end of the fourth day of play, Matt Henry was out of the attack having gone to hospital for scans, while seam-bowling all-rounder Nathan Smith was also sidelined with a side-strain. Latham was also standing in for Tom Blundell with the gloves, after Blundell suffered a hamstring injury on day one. That left the work to be split between Jacob Duffy, and Zak Foulkes on day four, as well as spin-bowling all-rounders Michael Bracewell and Rachin Ravindra. Duffy's workload of 43 overs in the final innings was the highest number of overs bowled by a seamer in the fourth-innings of a Test since Glenn McGrath in 1999.
The 981 balls New Zealand bowled in the fourth innings is ninth on the list of balls bowled by a team in the final innings of a Test. It's also the most by a New Zealand side.
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