With West Indies needing 86 runs and just four wickets in hand, tensions peaked at Hagley Oval on Day 5 as New Zealand intensified their tactics against tail-ender Kemar Roach. At one stage, five close-in fielders formed a tight ring around Roach, crowding him at the crease and constantly chirping in his ear in an attempt to break his concentration.
Roach, who has batted over 220 balls for his gritty 56, continued to frustrate the hosts with his defiant blockathon. New Zealand, desperate for a breakthrough as the partnership crossed 168 off 382 balls, increased their verbal pressure along with attacking fields, with players at silly point, short leg, leg slip, and around the bat.
The sledging and suffocating close-in field placements highlighted New Zealand’s rising urgency, especially with Justin Greaves nearing a double hundred at the other end.
Despite all the noise and pressure, Roach remained composed, surviving over after over as WI inched closer to the historic chase.