CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — The West Indies trailed New Zealand by 510 runs with all 10 second-innings wickets in hand at lunch Thursday on the fourth day of the first test.
At the break the West Indies were 20-0 after 11 overs with John Campbell 11 and Tagenarine Chanderpaul 5.
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New Zealand's Zak Foulkes fields off his own bowling against the West Indies on Day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Kemar Roach, right, holds up the ball after taking 5 wickets against New Zealand on Day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's players huddle before taking the field against the West Indies on day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's Will Young bats against the West Indies on day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Jayden Seales, right, bowls to New Zealand on day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's second innings finally ended at 466-8 declared, with a lead of 530 runs. Wicketkeeper Tom Blundell and allrounder Nathan Smith were injured and unable to bat.
New Zealand resumed at 417-4, already 481 runs ahead and made the unusual decision not to declare overnight. Instead, it batted on in a desultory fashion for 14 overs before running out of fit batters.
Will Young was out for 23, Michael Bracewell for 24, Matt Henry for 8, Jacob Duffy for 10 and Zak Foulkes finished 11 not out.
Kemar Roach dismissed Bracewell, Henry and Duffy to finish with 5-78, his 12th five-wicket bag in tests. He is the oldest bowler at 37 to take a five-wicket bag against New Zealand and now has 291 test wickets placing him fifth on the West Indies all-time list.
There was no real purpose in the way New Zealand batted Thursday. With hot conditions forecast in the afternoon, they might have been better using their seamers fresh from the very start of play. Smith's absence means a heavier burden will fall on Henry, Foulkes and Duffy.
There is still life in the pitch at Hagley and the New Zealanders were able to make the new ball bounce disconcertingly at times.
Tagenarine was hit on the badge of the helmet by Zak Foulkes just before lunch. Campbell was hit in the foot and was limping and clearly in pain as lunch approached.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
New Zealand's Zak Foulkes fields off his own bowling against the West Indies on Day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Kemar Roach, right, holds up the ball after taking 5 wickets against New Zealand on Day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's players huddle before taking the field against the West Indies on day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's Will Young bats against the West Indies on day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Jayden Seales, right, bowls to New Zealand on day 4 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — For Lionel Messi, the MLS Cup final on Saturday will represent some endings. And, quite possibly, a new beginning.
Messi and Inter Miami will take on Thomas Muller — one of his longtime rivals — and the Vancouver Whitecaps for Major League Soccer's championship. It's the first final for both clubs, which means MLS is about to have a first-time champion.
“We know it’s going to be a very, very tough game. ... It's going to be a very, very special final," Messi said in remarks distributed by the team Thursday.
But for Messi, it's the end of a couple eras. It's the last match planned at Inter Miami's current home, with the team set to move into a still-under-construction stadium near Miami International Airport next season. And barring some serious changes of heart, it'll be the last time he gets to play with longtime teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets — they're both retiring after Saturday — and possibly Luis Suarez as well.
“I’m very grateful for the career I’ve had, the teams I’ve played for, everything I’ve learned, everything I’ve enjoyed, and well, it’s been a privilege,” Alba said in Spanish on Thursday. “Yes, it’s a week with a lot of emotions, knowing that it’s going to be my last game ... and hopefully, I end my career in the best possible scenario, in a final and we win.”
It's not like Messi needs this win for his legacy; Argentina's star — a winner of 46 championships for club and country worldwide, the most in history — is widely considered the greatest player ever and Saturday's outcome won't help or hurt that reputation. Same goes for Muller, the German great who has been on the winning end of a World Cup final in which he played against Messi (and Javier Mascherano, now the Inter Miami coach).
“It’s good that this final has come about and that we’re facing each other again,” Messi said. “We’ve already faced Vancouver and we understand the caliber of their team.”
That said, Saturday will bring at least one first: If Vancouver wins, Muller will be the first player to win a World Cup and an MLS Cup. If Inter Miami wins, Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Busquets will become the first trio to say they were both a World Cup and an MLS champion.
“We are going to have four World Cup winners on the pitch," Mascherano said. “I think it’s very, very interesting for the league.”
Muller — part of more than 30 trophy wins for club and country himself — was asked how the MLS Cup ranks on his list.
“At the moment, I rank it No. 1," Muller said. “Because it’s the only final that we are talking about. It’s upcoming. At the moment, for me, this final on Saturday is the most important thing in my life.”
He then paused a bit.
"That’s a good line, ah?” he asked, laughing at his joke.
But clearly, the MLS Cup is something that both teams want badly. For Inter Miami, it's a chance to prove that bringing in the Barcelona foursome — Messi, Alba, Suarez and Busquets — was all worth it. For Vancouver, which beat Inter Miami twice this season in the CONCACAF Champions League, it's a chance to win a trophy and go through Messi to get it done.
“Obviously, they were much better than us in April,” Mascherano said. “But the situation is not the same. We are in a different situation. We arrive to this final with confidence, with some different players. And we know that they have a very, very good team.”
Inter Miami is 10-2-1 in its last 13 matches, going back to the regular season. The team has been particularly dominant in three win-or-go-home matches during these MLS playoffs, winning those by a combined score of 13-1.
Vancouver is 7-1-5 in its last 13 matches and has given up a total of 17 goals in its last 17 matches against MLS opponents.
The team playing in its home stadium, or home market, has won 11 of the last 14 MLS Cup titles. Of the three that lost in that scenario, two fell in penalty kicks.
Vancouver won at Inter Miami in April in the CONCACAF semifinals. Inter Miami is 16-2-2 across all competitions at home since.
“We’ve been ready for this this whole season," Vancouver midfielder Sebastian Berhalter said. "The pressure, it comes with it. It's a privilege and it’s fun and I think you know our guys are going to lean into it and enjoy it. Home team, away team, I don’t think it matters.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi works out during a training session, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ahead of Saturday's of the MLS Cup soccer match against the Vancouver Whitecaps. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano speaks during news conference Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ahead of Saturday's of the MLS Cup soccer match against the Vancouver Whitecaps. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano gestures to his players from the sideline during the first half of an MLS Eastern Conference final soccer match against New York City FC, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Thomas Muller looks at the MLS Cup trophy as he arrives for a news conference Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ahead of Saturday's of the MLS Cup soccer match against Inter Miami. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via
Vancouver Whitecaps' Thomas Muller laughs during news conference Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ahead of Saturday's of the MLS Cup soccer match against Inter Miami. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi works out during a training session, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ahead of Saturday's of the MLS Cup soccer match against the Vancouver Whitecaps. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
