MOUNT MAUNGANUI — The West Indies took the field in the third and final Test against New Zealand without fast bowler Ojay Shields, after the seamer was ruled out with injury on the eve of the match at the Bay Oval.
Shields, 29, who earned his Test debut in the opening encounter of the series, had been a steady contributor with the ball, collecting five wickets across the first two matches. His absence represents another disruption to a fast-bowling unit already tested by the demands of the tour.
West Indies captain Roston Chase confirmed the change during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, announcing that Alick Athanaze has been drafted into the XI as Shields’ replacement.
“We’ve announced our team, and we have one change with Ojay Shields out and Alick Athanaze is in. Shields has an injury,” Chase said.
Spirits intact despite heavy defeat
The announcement comes just days after the West Indies suffered a crushing nine-wicket defeat in the second Test, a result sealed inside three days. Yet, according to Chase, the lopsided loss has not fractured the team’s morale.
Instead, he said the squad deliberately stepped away from the intensity of competition, using two days to regroup, relax, and reconnect ahead of the series finale.
“The mood is still good. I spoke to the guys and told them that we drew the first game, we lost the second, so the only thing left for us to do is to win and we just have to keep believing,” Chase said.
Searching for consistency, not inspiration
While flashes of quality have surfaced throughout the series, Chase emphasized that the challenge lies not in ability, but in sustaining performance, particularly with the bat.
“I think that we’ve had some sparks of brilliance throughout the series, and it’s just for us to put them together for a longer period of time, especially in the batting,” he said.
The bowling attack, Chase noted, has largely upheld its end of the bargain, applying pressure and creating opportunities. The missing piece, he suggested, is a commanding first-innings total.
“I think the bowling has been doing an excellent job, but we’re just trying to find a way to get that 300 score in the first innings,” Chase said.
The blueprint for a series-turning victory
For the West Indies, the formula heading into Thursday’s contest is clear and uncompromising: bat longer, score heavier, and give the bowlers something substantial to defend.
“We think that if we can post that 300 run total in the first innings, it would go a long way in us winning a Test match here,” Chase added.
As the series reaches its final chapter, the loss of Shields adds another layer of difficulty, but not, the captain insists, a loss of belief.
