Why does the purist love test cricket?



Exhibit A: the last day of the opening match between the West Indies and New Zealand in Christchurch.



Like an Agatha Christie “whodunnit?”, plenty had their reckons when the hosts brought their second innings to a close:... “it’ll be over in four days”, “the tourists will fold”, “Tom Latham should’ve declared earlier”.
To quote late Prime Minister Jim Bolger when the 1993 general election was closer than expected: “Bugger the pollsters”.



No one “dunnit” in the end as both sides eked out a draw, but this occasion defied convention. We witnessed five-day grit rather than two-day nonsense.



The chase built modestly. Who could have predicted a team that had been dismissed for 167 in the first innings, albeit in grim batting conditions, would come within cooee of hauling in a world record 531 in their second dig? Especially when they had been reduced to 72-4.



Shai Hope, Justin Greaves and Kemar Roach believed.



That occurred first through a 196-run Hope-Greaves stand, the highest for the fifth-wicket between the countries.



The end only came via a pinpoint ploy.
Jacob Duffy came around the wicket to the right-handed Hope, who produced a first false shot on 140, edging a hook to a short delivery.



An extensive warm-up catching practice with trainer Chris Donaldson paid off for stand-in wicketkeeper Tom Latham. He snared the catch in his left glove webbing to the joy – and relief – of teammates, albeit with the shine off the second new ball.



The second act of faith in the visitors’ cause came via a 180-run seventh-wicket Greaves-Roach partnership, another record between the sides.



Initial defiance led to quiet confidence as the scoring accelerated to leave a tantalising chase of 132 from 33 overs in the final session.



Greaves presented straight bat orthodoxy for most of his knock. Roach rode his luck more, but who wouldn’t at 37 years old, knowing the selection clock is ticking. He offered a catch on 30 to Zak Foulkes, diving to his left at square leg; he escaped a run out on 35 when Blair Tickner missed from close range at mid-on; and he bisected Tickner at deep mid-off and Glenn Phillips at deep mid-on with a straight skyer on 45. Phillips’ call of “mine” and Tickner’s hands getting first to the steepler proved an unfortunate combination.



To add a plot twist, three butchered decision reviews prevented New Zealand progressing their push for victory.


Those errors of judgment, including a Michael Bracewell lbw appeal against the right-handed Roach, which pitched outside leg from around the wicket, meant a subsequent plumb shout and a caught behind were uncontestable.



Several phantom catches and pantomime howzats in the aftermath added further drama to a West End level narrative.


Regardless, this series now holds more mystery than originally thought – another endorsement for the World Test Championship.

Andrew Alderson: Black Caps draw, but test cricket remains undefeated