The fast bowlers dominated day one of the Frank Worrell Trophy series opener in Bridgetown, with the West Indies and Australian quicks collectively taking 14 wickets in frantic scenes.
After Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first at Kensington Oval, the tourists were rolled for 180 courtesy of a blistering spell from Gabba hero Shamar Joseph (4-46), who received support from fellow seamer Jayden Seales (5-60).
However, Australia’s world-class bowling cartel wreaked havoc in the evening session, with the West Indies in a spot of bother at 4-57 at stumps, still trailing by 123 runs.
The first Test between the West Indies and Australia will resume on Friday at 12am AEST.
MORNING SESSION OF DAY 2 CRUCIAL TO AUSTRALIA’S HOPES ACCORDING TO HEAD
After Australia’s batted as though they were under duress during the opening day of the Test, Travis Head was sweating in his post-match interview in Bridgetown, but that was more due to the heat than any struggles he had in the middle.
Nonetheless, the Australian star said the pitch had proven a surprise given the fireworks it produced and believes the nation’s bowlers have put the tourists in a good position at stumps on the first day.
“(They were) exceptional. They don’t put a foot wrong, do they? They always ask questions. They always extract everything they can out of the wicket,” he said.
“It (will be) an important couple of hours in the morning. It is disappointing that we could not fight for a few extra runs to keep putting the pressure on the West Indies, knowing the quality of attack that we have. But we have got ourselves back in a position tonight where it makes for a good morning.”
Head, who top-scored for Australia with 59, said both teams would have batted given pre-match assessments of the pitch suggested it would be a “really nice wicket that may spin later in the game”.
But with “two good quality seam attacks” extracting plenty from the pitch, Head said it was extremely challenging for batters.
“You communicate the best way you can and whether or not there was a little bit of moisture in the wicket to start, as that dried out, we talked about getting through to lunch and hoping the wicket would get better, and I think it did in stages. But the bowlers were able to get something out of it the whole day,” he said.
“You always want to try to adapt to the conditions the best way you can, but we battled hard against a really quality attack. On another day, you would hope to get through it, but we will get another opportunity, hopefully tomorrow, to play well again and put ourselves in a position to try to win the game.”
As Shamar Joseph and Jayden Sears wreaked havoc, only Head and Usman Khawaja, who made 47, were able to make any headway until a handy cameo with the bat from Aussie skipper Pat Cummins, who made 28 from 18 balls at the death of the Australian innings.
Head, whose 59 runs came from 78 balls, said the contrasting style with which he and Khawaja, who faced 128 deliveries, batted indicated that it was possible to flourish regardless of a player’s style. But he disappointed not to cash in with a big score after getting a start.
“I didn’t go out with an idea of being attacking. I let the game come to me and I was able to score in some parts. (And) I thought Uzzie applied himself really well,” he said.
“We got off to a really good partnership ... with two completely (different) ways of going about it. I don’t think there is one solid way of going about things on those sort of wickets. You have to double-down on your plan, on your blueprint and what you play best.
“Naturally I like to try to put the pressure back on and there are going to be times where it works and not. I was disappointed to get myself a start and not go on with it, but again, those things happen and hopefully — you don’t know until both teams bat on it — but hopefully that is a score that can keep us in the game, which is good.”
‘HE HAS STRUGGLED’: KONSTAS’ GLARING FLAW REMAINS
Ahead of the West Indies tour, Sam Konstas acknowledged there were some technical deficiencies in his batting that needed rectifying.
Last summer, the teenage opener established himself as one of Australian cricket’s rising stars with twin Sheffield Shield hundreds and a whirlwind Test debut at the MCG.
But despite his rapid ascent through the ranks, Konstas has on several occasions been bowled or trapped LBW by in-duckers that evaded the inside edge, an issue that had plagued him across the last 18 months.
In an attempt to solve the problem, the Sydneysider tinkered with his batting stance ahead of the Caribbean tour, with his front foot placed outside leg stump during the bowler’s run-up.
“I’ve been working on a few things with my front foot, opening it up slightly to get better access,” Konstas told cricket.com.au last week.
“It just helps work on my defence, as I felt there may be a slight weakness in that.”
Despite the technical change, Konstas’ dreaded Achilles heel returned on day one of the series opener in Barbados when he was beaten on the inside edge and trapped on the pads by seamer Shamar Joseph for 3.
West Indies captain Roston Chase called for a review after umpire Nitin Menon ignored appeals for LBW, with three red lights appearing on Hawkeye.
The West Indies had done their homework.
As former Test bowler Ian Bishop said in commentary, the wicket was almost identical to Konstas’ dismissal during last year’s Under-19 World Cup final, when he was bowled through the gate by Indian seamer Raj Limbani.
“It’s quite obvious that there’s been some planning into some weak areas of one or two Australian batters,” Bishop explained.
“The Sam Konstas dismissal is absolutely typical of the way he’s been in Under-19 cricket and in first-class cricket. The nip-backer is something he has struggled with.”
Konstas’ Test career is still in its infancy, but opposition bowlers already have a proven strategy for knocking over the 19-year-old right-hander. And there is no doubt England’s bowlers will be paying attention ahead of next summer’s Ashes.
“I think I set it up perfectly for him,” Joseph explained at stumps.
“A few outswingers and then get the ball to nip back, because he’s just looking to get outside off, then get one to nip back through the gate.”
Speaking to News Corp ahead of the Bridgetown Test, Joseph was asked for his thoughts on Konstas, and after admitting he looked like a “stylish player”, the West Indies bowler offered up a cheeky warning.
“Just look out, that’s all,” he said.
‘DEJA VU’ AS NERVY GREEN FAILS AGAIN
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, captain Pat Cummins indicated that Cameron Green would be given an extended run at No. 3 in the Test side despite his poor performance during the recent World Test Championship final against South Africa.
“He’s hitting the ball really well. He’s moving really well,” Cummins said.
“We’re really happy with where his game’s placed and I dare say we’ll get a decent run of No. 3.”
But Green has once again failed to convince sceptics that he belongs at first drop after being dismissed for 3.
Truth be told, the tall West Australian should have departed for a second-ball duck after tentatively flashing at wide delivery from Joseph and edging towards gully, only for debutant Brandon King to drop a regulation chance.
As Green struggled for rhythm and timing in the middle, former Australian batter Greg Blewett criticised his lack of footwork and hesitant stroke play.
“If you’re going to bat at No. 3 for Australia, or any Test side, you need to be a little bit tighter in your defence than that,” Blewett said in commentary.
“That to me is just nerves, pure nerves. He wants bat on ball. If you’re getting wide of off stump ... you’ve got to be a little bit more focused and play it a little bit better. He’s a better player than this. He’s just showing his nerves at the moment.”
The very next delivery, Green fell victim to Joseph in identical fashion to his twin dismissals from the World Test Championship final when planting his front foot and pushing with hard hands towards the slips cordon.
“Deja vu for Green,” Bishop said in commentary.
Since returning to the Test side from back surgery, Green has posted scores of 4, 0 and 3. He cracked a trio of centuries for Gloucestershire in the County Championship last month, albeit batting down at No. 5.
If Green’s batting woes continue, he could slip down the order or out of the starting XI altogether to accommodate Steve Smith’s imminent return from injury.
“Leading into the Australian series at home, how is the top three going to shape up?” Blewett asked at stumps.
“Who’s going to bat at No. 3 for Australia? To me, Cameron Green isn’t the answer. There’s some things for the Australian selectors to work out.”
STARC STRIKES BACK ... AGAIN AS FAMILIAR SCRIPT REPEATS FOR AUSTRALIA’S BOWLER
It must have felt like Groundhog Day for Mitchell Starc and the entire Australian attack as they walked out to bowl in the third session.
Once again, they were tasked with trying to restrict an opposition after their teammates with the bat failed to post a significant total. And in a script that has been largely familiar, an innings here or there aside, they delivered with Starc once again skittling the openers.
The first over specialist did not strike straight away. But he did look potent and on the third delivery of his third over, he was able to remove former captain Kraigg Braithwaite, who edged the left-armed quick to Beau Webster when out for four.
A couple of overs later he had Braithwaite’s opening partner John Campbell also caught, this time when edging to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. This reduced the West Indies to 2-16 midway through the seventh over and ensured Australia was back in the match.
Blewett believes Starc, who finished with 2-35 from his seven overs, is bowling better than ever before despite dropping a couple of kms in pace.
“I think Mitchell Starc, at this stage of his career, is bowling as well as he ever has,” he said.
“His pace has dropped a little bit — he is still at around 140kmh — but with that scrambled seam that he bowls now, it has just given him a lot more confidence that he does not have to rely on his swing bowling all of the time and he can mix it up a little bit.
“I don’t think he is as erratic as he used to be. I think his control has gotten better over the last 12 months or so and I think that has come down to a bit of confidence as well. Sometimes you can see it in his run-up ... and his rhythm is so good at the moment, which is a great indicator.”
Former West Indian fast bowler Ian Bishop said Starc was “like a good wine that is getting better with age”.
“The thing that I like about Mitchell Starc, and why he is bowling so well, if not better than at any other time, is that he is holding his length better,” he said.
“He would attack, attack, attack. Sometimes even when the ball was not swinging, he would still bowl full. But now I think he is ... trying to just hit that length with the scrambled seam, and that is something that you have to pay great credit to.”
GABBA HERO SHINES IN NEW ROLE
Eighteen months after his Gabba heroics, Shamar Joseph is once again terrorising Australia’s batters in the Test arena.
In January 2024, the fast bowler helped the West Indies clinch a thrilling eight-run triumph over the powerhouse Australians in Brisbane, taking 7-68 with a busted toe in an epic performance.
Despite some mediocre performances against England in the United Kingdom last year, Joseph entered the Frank Worrell Trophy with a commendable Test bowling average of 26.75 having taken a five-wicket haul against South Africa in Providence.
However, Joseph had never opened the bowling for the West Indies before this week, predominantly serving as a first-change option in the Test arena.
The right-armed seamer was finally given an opportunity with the new ball on Wednesday and he didn’t disappoint, taking 2-12 from six overs in a stunning opening spell.
His fourth ball was a rip-snorter, exploding off a good length and striking opener Usman Khawaja on the gloves, with the ball fortuitously sailed over the slips cordon. That sent a message to the Australian dressing room that batting would be tough, Head said later.
The following over, Joseph produced an unplayable delivery that beat Sam Konstas’ outside edge, with the teenage opener offering his opponent a congratulatory thumbs up in response.
The 25-year-old was on a rampage, knocking over Konstas and Green to leave the visitors reeling at 2-14, and he would have inflicted further damage if not for his careless teammates, with three regulation chances dropped off his bowling.
The West Indies would have been questioning why they hadn’t thrown him the new ball sooner in his career.
Joseph, who later removed Khawaja and Webster in the afternoon session, finished with 4-46 from 16 overs, while his overall tally against Australia in Tests reads as 17 scalps at 15.94.
At the other end was fellow speedster Jayden Seales, who claimed a five-wicket haul, his third in Tests, after cleaning up the Australian tail during the evening session.
“He was special today, and I think he’s been special throughout his career,” Seales said of Joseph at stumps.
“I think he has a love for Australian batters.”
Joseph will turn 26 this year, while Seales is only 23 — alongside the experienced Alzarri Joseph, the West Indies may have unearthed a pace trio that could trouble opponents for the coming decade.
Having witnessed the talent of the young bowlers from the middle, Head said he was not surprised by how well Joseph and the rest of the West Indian attack performed.
“Two years on, everyone has got better. I thought Jayden bowled exceptionally well again. Alzarri is always there or thereabouts and Shamar, again, he put the ball in the right area and asked questions,” he said.
“Two years on, you expect everyone in international cricket to get better when you get experience and there are no surprises in what they were able to bring and get things out of the wicket.
“But vice versa, we were able to do the same thing tonight. It makes for an important couple of hours tomorrow morning.”
‘NO IDEA’: PITCH MYSTERY HURTS AUSSIES
There were plenty of unknowns about the Kensington Oval pitch ahead of this Test.
The Bridgetown venue had not hosted a Test match in three years, while veteran spinner Nathan Lyon was the only member of the Australian squad that had played a red-ball match there, albeit back in 2012.
“We don’t really know what to expect,” Australian captain Pat Cummins told reporters on Tuesday.
“I think it’ll be a pretty good wicket with maybe a little bit of spin later on in the game, (but) honestly, I’ve got no idea.”
The following morning, when the coin landed in Australia’s favour, Cummins chose to bat first on what proved a bowling paradise.
Five hours later, the Australians were rolled for 180, the team’s lowest first-innings total against the West Indies since 1995. It was a good toss to lose, for as Head said, he suspects the West Indies would have opted to bat as well.
The pitch showed signs of volatile behaviour early on day one, with deliveries seaming in both directions and some variable bounce. Khawaja was struck on the glove in the second over by a delivery that leapt off a good length, while other balls failed to carry through to the wicketkeeper.
Later in the afternoon session, Australian all-rounder Beau Webster was knocked over by an unplayable delivery that nipped away several inches towards the off side.
West Indies seamer Jayden Seales was also unearthing plenty of movement through the air, swinging the new Dukes ball around corners in the morning session.
Of the 15 most recent Test innings at Kensington Oval, only three team totals were higher than 300.
“The pitch did a lot more than probably what the Australians thought,” Blewitt said at stumps.
“It really did move around most of the day, in the air, off the pitch, it was a little bit up and down as well. The ball dominated the day’s play.”
Time will tell whether Cummins made the right call at the toss, although West Indies captain Roston Chase said he would have made the same decision after the day’s play had ended.
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