Hope credits class act Roach for WI fightback

West Indies’ premier batsman Shai Hope credited his countryman Kemar Roach after the fightback shown by the men in maroon on Day Four.
Roach started, ball in hand, as West Indies finished New Zealand’s innings early in the day. Roach claimed 5-78, his 12th five-wicket haul in Tests, and now has 291 Test wickets.

Hope, who ended unbeaten on 116 at stumps on day four, reflected on the day and praised Roach. “The wicket has tamed off a bit compared to the first innings. They were a bowler down as well, Kemar is a class act. The time away from the game has helped him as well. You can always depend on him, be it for an economical spell or two or three quick ones. It shows he still is one of the finest bowlers in the Caribbean,” Hope said.
Hope shared in a century-run stand with Justin Greaves, who scored 55 not out on Day Four. According to Hope, Greaves is a fine all-rounder.
He also hinted that the West Indies could hunt down the 319 runs remaining on Day Five, “Justin is a wonderful all-rounder. The eye is better, but not where I want it to be. But good enough for me to have a good look at the ball and score the runs. If someone knows me, then they would go; we will go for it if we have a sniff,” the Barbadian star said.
After the first Test, West Indies and New Zealand will face off against each other from Tuesday, December 9, in the second Test.