West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves made cricket history on Monday during the first Test against Pakistan. The right-arm pacer took five wickets in five straight wicket-maiden overs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.
This incredible feat happened on the third day of the match. Greaves took 5 wickets, giving 27 runs from 11 overs. His bowling triggered a massive collapse for Pakistan, who fell from 244/3 to 282 all out. Consequently, West Indies took a 29-run lead after the first innings.
Justin Greaves Shatters World Record in Trinidad
Justin Greaves became the first bowler in recorded Test history to achieve five consecutive wicket-maidens. He started his record-breaking run just before the lunch break. Notably, he had already bowled six overs earlier in the day and conceded 27 runs without taking a wicket. However, his second spell completely changed the game. He managed to take a wicket in every over he bowled during that specific period without giving away a single run.
This performance is a rare achievement in international cricket. Most bowlers struggle to keep runs down while trying to take wickets. Instead, Greaves managed to do both perfectly. Furthermore, he achieved this during a crucial part of the game when Pakistan looked like they would take a large lead. His effort ensured that West Indies stayed in the contest.
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The Crucial Wicket of Shan Masood
Pakistan started the third day in a very strong position. They reached 244 runs by losing 3 wickets, and captain Shan Masood had already scored a century. Suddenly, Greaves entered the attack and began his historic burst.
The collapse began when Greaves bowled Shan Masood for 109 runs. Greaves set up the Pakistan captain perfectly. He first pushed the ball wide to the left-hander. Then, he bowled a delivery that tailed back into the stumps. Masood played down the wrong line and inside-edged the ball onto his own stumps. This wicket ended a dangerous partnership and gave West Indies hope.
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Tearing Through the Middle Order
After removing Masood, Greaves continued his dominance in the next few overs. He bowled Aamer Jamal by hitting the middle stump. Specifically, he speared the ball through Jamal’s defences to uproot the woodwork. In his next over, he trapped Ali Usman leg-before-wicket (LBW) with a ball that nipped back.
Greaves then dismissed the last recognised batter, Mohammad Rizwan. He forced an outside edge from Rizwan, which the fielder caught. By the time lunch arrived, Pakistan had slumped to 267/8. They had lost five wickets for just 23 runs in a very short time.
Greaves returned to the field after lunch break and struck again in his very first over of the afternoon session. He had Mohammad Abbas caught behind by the wicketkeeper to complete his five-wicket haul. This final wicket meant he had taken five wickets for zero runs across five consecutive overs. It was his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
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Surpassing Stuart Broad’s Historic Bowling Record
Before this match, the record for most consecutive wicket-maidens belonged to former England bowler Stuart Broad. Broad had achieved four consecutive wicket-maidens against South Africa in January 2016. Notably, Greaves has now surpassed that mark with his five overs in Trinidad.
This is all the more remarkable a record because not many bowlers have achieved such a streak. Greaves used simple tactics to set the record. His approach was to hit good areas and let the ball do its job. And he wrote his name in the history books of the sport.
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