Justin Greaves Makes History With Five Wicket-Maidens in a Row for West Indies

Tarouba — West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves etched his name into the record books on Monday, becoming the first bowler in the recorded era of Test cricket to take wickets in five consecutive maiden overs.

The 32-year-old produced the spell on Day 3 of the opening Test against Pakistan at Tarouba, finishing with 5 for 27 and helping turn the World Test Championship match in the hosts’ favor.

A Record-Breaking Spell

Greaves broke the previous mark of four consecutive wicket-maidens, set by England’s Stuart Broad vs South Africa in Johannesburg in 2016.

Playing in his 17th Test, Greaves picked up his first five-wicket haul as Pakistan were dismissed for 282 in response to West Indies’ 311.

“When I came on, captain Roston Chase just told me to stay disciplined and see if I could get some wickets for the team,” Greaves said.

“The ball was moving a bit and I got some reward. Anytime I get the ball, the team looks to me to be that solid player and dig us out. To get my first five-wicket haul in Tests, I’m really happy — but there’s still a lot of work to do.”

How the Collapse Unfolded

Pakistan looked in control at 244-3, with captain Shan Masood scoring a century. That’s when Greaves struck.

1. Dismissed Masood for 109 to break the partnership
2. Then bowled three straight maiden overs with wickets — removing Aamer Jamal, Ali Usman, and Mohammad Rizwan without conceding a run. Pakistan slumped to 267-8 at lunch.
3. After the break, Greaves completed the historic feat by having Mohammad Abbas caught behind — his 5th wicket in 5 successive maiden overs.

Pakistan were eventually all out for 282, trailing West Indies by 29 runs in the first innings.

Match Situation

Pakistan hit back late, reducing West Indies to 126-7 in their second innings by stumps on Day 3.

Despite that, the hosts ended the day with an overall lead of 155 runs heading into Day 4.