Christchurch, December 5, 2025 – Centuries from Rachin Ravindra and captain Tom Latham have put New Zealand in a commanding position against West Indies at the close of the fourth day in the ongoing Christchurch Test.
The Kiwi duo’s stellar performance helped the hosts establish a massive lead, setting the stage for an exciting final day.
Day 4 began with West Indies facing a daunting target after New Zealand declared at 466/8. With a lead of 530 runs, the visitors were staring down a challenging chase. Veteran pacer Kemar Roach gave Windies fans some cheer by taking his 12th five-wicket haul, but the task ahead remained monumental. Openers John Campbell and Tagenarine Chanderpaul displayed grit in negotiating the new ball, surviving the first 11 overs to reach 20/0 at Lunch.
After the break, the Kiwi attack turned aggressive. Jacob Duffy was the standout performer, finding the outside edge of both openers, while a combination of spin and pace dismissed Roston Chase and Athanaze cheaply. Amid the carnage, Shai Hope stood firm, reaching a fighting fifty and partnering with Justin Greaves to guide the team to Tea at 72/4.
West Indies showed remarkable resilience in the final session. The 140-run partnership between Hope and Greaves took the score to 212/4, keeping all three results possible heading into the fifth day. Despite Matt Henry suffering a calf strain and missing action in the latter session, New Zealand remains optimistic about their pacers breaking the partnership early on the final day.
The final day promises high drama, with West Indies looking to chase down 319 more runs, while New Zealand will aim to capitalize on their strong position to secure a victory. Coverage begins at 10 PM GMT, with the pre-match build-up starting an hour earlier.