adminIt’s not easy to win a Test match. Just ask West Indies. Their victory drought in Tests seemed set to end yesterday evening itself, but Mark Craig and BJ Watling made them wait. And wait. The odd drizzle and some threatening rain clouds on the fifth morning only increased the anxiety.
More than two hours into play on the fifth morning, they finally did get New Zealand all out and though they faced a not-too-challenging target of 93, a downpour soon after the final wicket meant there was little relief for West Indies.
As the skies cleared, so too did the home side’s troubles. West Indies fans got to see the sight that perhaps cheers them up the most: Chris Gayle batting in Twenty20 mode to demolish the bowling.
The target was hunted down in just 13.2 overs, the long wait for a Test win was finally over, and the series was level.
The rough period may be over for Gayle, but one man wasn’t finding Test cricket that arduous. After beginning with a Man-of-the-Match performance on debut at Sabina Park, Craig frustrated West Indies with the fifth longest Test innings by a No. 10.
He made light of a lack of footwork to stick around for more than three hours, surviving a bunch of chances, including two in the cordon off successive deliveries from Jerome Taylor in the 130th over. — Cricinfo.
Online Reporter