Chase Urges Accountability After Batting Collapse as West Indies Slip to Heavy Defeat

Chase Urges Accountability After Batting Collapse as West Indies Slip to Heavy Defeat

West Indies captain Roston Chase has called on his batters to take greater responsibility after another collective failure undermined a strong bowling effort in the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington. Despite restricting the hosts to a modest first-innings lead, West Indies were dismissed for just 128 in improved batting conditions, paving the way for a nine-wicket defeat.

West Indies posted 205 in their first innings before their bowlers dragged them back into the contest by limiting New Zealand to 278. But a brittle second-innings display saw the visitors lose a promising position and surrender any chance of levelling the series.

“We made mistakes at crucial points”

Chase said the loss felt particularly disappointing given the control West Indies had for large parts of the match.

“We were in a good position up to this morning… A number of batsmen got starts but we didn’t convert anything big,” he said. “We left some runs out there in the first innings and thought we’d make them up in the second, but it didn’t happen. Very disappointing after the bowlers really put up their hands.”

He dismissed the notion that conditions were to blame, saying the Basin Reserve surface offered opportunities for batters.

“I thought the pitch was one we could score runs on… We just made some mistakes at crucial points and never really got our foot back into the game.”

Recurring pattern of wasted starts

The West Indies batting unit’s inability to convert starts has been a theme throughout the tour. In Wellington alone, seven West Indies batters passed 20 across both innings, but none reached fifty. Shai Hope’s 47 was the highest score of the match for the visitors, while several others fell after reaching 20s, 30s and 40s.

Chase said this trend must stop if the team wants to compete overseas.

“You have to work very hard to get that start. It’s about buckling down and having the determination to carry on,” he said. “Sometimes we give it away a little too easily when we get to the 30s and 40s.”

He also stressed the importance of setting up the match properly in the first innings, especially in New Zealand’s swing-friendly conditions.

Holding players accountable

According to Chase, internal discussions have revolved around taking responsibility for execution in the middle.

“When we sit and chat after games, we discuss those things. We try to hold everyone accountable for their actions,” he said. “But it’s not just talking — we need to find ways out there in the middle to combat what’s being thrown at us.”

Eyes still on ending 30-year drought

Despite the setback, Chase insisted the squad remains motivated by a long-standing goal: winning a Test match in New Zealand for the first time since 1995.

With one match left in the series, he urged his players to regroup quickly.

“We want to leave here with a win,” he said. “We still believe we’re capable of getting one — it’s just about being consistent. The bowlers have shown they can get us the ten or twenty wickets we need.”

A victory in the third Test at Mount Maunganui would level the series and give West Indies their first win of the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle.

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