‘Why now?’ Absurd spell makes Test cricket history... before captain’s ‘baffling’ act

West Indian all-rounder Justin Greaves rewrote cricket history with an extraordinary spell to spark a Pakistan batting collapse in the first Test in Trinidad and Tobago.

But the calypso kings are still facing an uphill battle after finishing Day 3 7/126 in their second innings, a lead of just 155.

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Their position would be even more dire if it weren’t for Greaves, who became the first player in recorded Test history to bowl five consecutive wicket maidens on his way to a maiden five-wicket haul.

The 32-year old, who produced a heroic unbeaten 202 to salvage a draw against New Zealand in December, was unplayable as Pakistan slumped from 3/244 to 282 all out.

Greaves first snaked through centurion Shan Masood’s defence to bowl the Pakistan captain off an inside edge, before spectacularly detonating tailender Aamer Jamal’s middle stump in his next over.

His third came when Ali Usman missed a nip-backer to be trapped plumb LBW, while an outside edge accounted for last recognised batter Mohammad Rizwan shortly after.

Returning after the lunch break, Greaves secured his five-for in the first over of the session when Mohammad Abbas edged behind to leave Pakistan nine down.

Remarkably, the all-rounder was removed from the bowling attack and denied a chance at a sixth by captain Roston Chase.

“7 overs on the trot, but there was a lunch break in between,” Wisden cricket writer Rohit Sankar said.

“Baffling. Why would you take him off now?”

Against quicks Jayden Seales and Kemar Roach, last pair Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali added 15 runs before Roach ended the innings.

“Justin Greaves has etched his name indelibly in the history books here,” commentator and former West Indies captain Daren Ganga said.

With the cricketing world, in mourning at the passing of the game’s greatest all-rounder, Garfield Sobers, Greaves’ all-round skills were both timely and necessary.

The achievement has quickly spread around the cricket world as proof Test cricket remains alive and well.

“People will see Justin Greaves take 5-0 in five consecutive maiden overs and try and tell you Test cricket is dying,” Wisden editor Ben Gardner wrote.

Greaves went on to stem the clatter of Caribbean wickets as Pakistan fought back tigerishly on an increasingly two-paced pitch.

But his day didn’t have a storybook finish, with the right-hander superbly caught for 20 by diving Pakistan captain Babar Azam at cover to give Mohammad Abbas his third wicket.

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At the end of the day, Roach defied the rampant Pakistan bowlers while at the other end, Shamar Joseph smashed three sixes in an unbeaten 22, runs which could prove crucial on what will likely be a decisive fourth day.

Greaves made his debut against Australia in Adelaide in January 2024, and was part of the team that secured the West Indies’ first Test victory down under in 1997 with a thrilling eight-run win at the Gabba.

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