West Indies could still lose by an innings tomorrow. Or they could scrap to some sort of lead and make Australia chase a few. Either way, it probably won’t last long. So if you’re planning to come to the ground tomorrow, get here for the first ball. At least the SACA will get a bit of a third day.
We’ll be here – see you in the morning, Adelaide time.
Stumps - Day 2, West Indies 73-6 trail by 22 in the third innings
That was a meek batting effort from West Indies, though unsurprisingly so – their bowling has exceeded their batting for years now, even before this vastly inexperienced squad was picked. They were blown away by Hazlewood, who had 4 for 2 at one stage in his fifth over. No answers.
McKenzie fought back a bit, and Greaves a bit, but those sorts of innings are scraps at the feast. All this after a magnificent bowling and fielding performance, really, that would have put a better batting side right in the game. Shamar Joseph got 5-for on debut, Roach and Greaves got a couple, Alzarri got the key wicket of Head.
And salute Travis Head, with that knack of making big runs when his team is down and out. Another superb counter-attacking hundred today in conditions that had the bowlers in it throughout.
22.5 overs: West Indies 73-6 (da Silva 16) That’s the end of the day, with da Silva the only player not out overnight.
WICKET! Greaves lbw Lyon 24, West Indies 73-6
There will be no two-day Test – three minutes until the scheduled close when this over starts, which means there isn’t time for two wickets to fall. There is time for one though, the Australians sending a not-out decision upstairs. Lyon, around the wicket, hitting Greaves on the pad while playing back.
The replay shows it just pitching in line with the stumps, and just hitting firmly enough for three reds rather than a saving yellow. Even on the ball-tracking, I thought that looked like it was pitching outside the line, at least part of the ball was. I guess not quite enough.
22nd over: West Indies 72-5 (Greaves 24, da Silva 16) Nearly caught in the gully! Edged by da Silva, Marsh dives across from third slip into the gap, gets the ball but it has bounced just before his fingers. He lies on the ground holding and shakes his head to his teammates. Undeterred, da Silva drives through cover for three, Labuschagne chasing back to save a run.
21st over: West Indies 69-5 (Greaves 24, da Silva 13) A little wrist-whip from da Silva to take Lyon through midwicket, only one run with a stacked leg-side field. Short leg, leg slip, square leg, midwicket, plus two in the deep.
20th over: West Indies 68-5 (Greaves 24, da Silva 12) “Shot, yarr,” says West Indies enthusiast Bharat Sundaresan sitting next to me. Greaves gets forward and utterly smokes a cover drive against Hazlewood. Just beats the fielder at cover, then leads him all the way to the rope.
19th over: West Indies 64-5 (Greaves 20, da Silva 12) Time for spin – Nathan Lyon. Immediately the batters show a bit more purpose, looking to work ones into gaps.
18th over: West Indies 62-5 (Greaves 19, da Silva 11) Another pulled single for da Silva. Green with that ambling sort of run up is sending the ball down. Greaves plays a good shot, chopping down on a ball to send it through gully for four. He’s played a good hand so far.
17th over: West Indies 57-5 (Greaves 15, da Silva 10) Cummins continues. Australia need two more wickets in 26 minutes to claim the extra half hour. Nothing doing this over. A no-ball, a few singles.
16th over: West Indies 53-5 (Greaves 14, da Silva 8) Another pull shot for da Silva, can’t help himself. One run from Green.
The crowd today is 23,698. Feel sorry for all those would-be weekend cricket-goers in Adelaide, who will have to find something else to do.
15th over: West Indies 51-5 (Greaves 13, da Silva 7) Cummins continues, and at least a few runs comes for West Indies: two singles, then Greaves drives three through cover, and da Silva produces a solid pull shot for four. Got out doing that the first time around, straight to deep square. Keeps this one down, it doesn’t bounce nearly as high, and into the gap at deep backward between the two would-be catchers.
14th over: West Indies 42-5 (Greaves 9, da Silva 2) We’re down to the wicketkeeper. Joshua da Silva played a shocker of a shot in his first innings. Gets moving here with a back-foot punch for two, into the cover gap. Good running. Ignores a bouncer. They’re still 53 behind.
WICKET! McKenzie c Labuschagne b Green 26, West Indies 40-5
That’s no good at all. Kirk McKenzie has been the best of an entirely uncompetitive field, has played a few lovely shots. But too much hydration muddles his timing. Sees width from Green and drives too early, chips it to cover. Yuck.
13th over: West Indies 40-4 (McKenzie 26, Greaves 9) Three more for McKenzie, though he drives in the air past Cummins – a dangerous thing to do. Now four slips plus Green at gully for Greaves, facing Cummins. But Greaves gets off strike, and McKenzie plays the pull shot well! Good signs. Picks up three runs, well in front of square. Drinks.
12th over: West Indies 33-4 (McKenzie 20, Greaves 8) STOP THE PRESSES. A boundary from Hazlewood. McKenzie, of course, plays another textbook cover drive. He’s playing at a different level to his teammates. An adequate one.
Inspired, though, Greaves attacks width and plays a waving-wand kind of square drive for four of his own. Much riskier shot, horizontal bat. But gets it.
Five overs for two runs, one over for nine runs. The Josh Hazlewood story.
11th over: West Indies 24-4 (McKenzie 15, Greaves 4) Next wicket feels like it’s moments away with Cummins bowling – there’s an edge from McKenzie for a run, another from Greaves for two, either side of one that actually hits near the middle of the bat for Greaves to take a couple to midwicket.
10th over: West Indies 19-4 (McKenzie 14, Greaves 0) A ball cuts in at Justin Greaves, hitting him high on the front leg, above the pad. He booms a drive and misses the next ball. Hazlewood has 4 (wickets) for 2 (runs).
West Indies still 76 runs behind.
WICKET! Hodge c Smith b Hazlewood 3, West Indies 19-4
Finally, from his 25th ball of the innings, the first runs from Hazlewood. Hodge drives towards extra cover and gets an inside edge through square leg. But Hodge must feel bad, and decides to soothe the pain by offering Hazlewood another wicket. It’s very full, and honestly I don’t know he’s managed to edge that at such a length, but it’s a thick one to second slip.
Career catch number 175 for Steve Smith, he levels with Alastair Cook. Only six players ahead of him.
9th over: West Indies 17-3 (McKenzie 14, Hodge 1) Bowling change, it’s Cummins from the Cathedral End. Around the wicket to the left-hander, getting the ball to seam inward off the deck. McKenzie plays a couple really well, in behind it and guarding his stumps. Then not so well, driving at width and dropped! That flies off the edge. Marsh at third slip has to throw his left arm up, above his head and wide of his body. Gets a hand to it but can’t cling on. That would have been lucky had it stuck.
8th over: West Indies 17-3 (McKenzie 14, Hodge 1) There is one aim for Hodge, and that is Do Not Get Out to Josh Hazlewood. He bats stubbornly for the whole ever, except when one gets short and he misses a pull shot.
7th over: West Indies 17-3 (McKenzie 14, Hodge 1) A run for McKenzie, angled in at the stomach, blocked to midwicket. He might need to farm the strike for his whole team at the moment, you’re nervous as soon as anyone else is facing. Kavem Hodge is next, right-hander, and gets going right away with a tip-and-run to cover. Now then, Kirk McKenzie isn’t having trouble! Plays a smart flick through midwicket for four, then two balls later follows it up with a picture perfect cover drive, same result.
Hazlewood is about to start his fourth over having not conceded a run, and Starc has just gone for 10 off this over.
6th over: West Indies 7-3 (McKenzie 5, Hodge 0) We really could be on for that two-day finish. It’s coming up to 16:10 local time. Scheduled close is 17:00 which means we can play in normal conditions to 17:30. If West Indies have lost 7 or more wickets by then, the umpires can add another half hour and play until 18:00. That’s an hour and fifty minutes. They’re still 88 behind.
Hazlewood 3 overs, 3 maidens, 3 for 0.
WICKET! Athenaze c Carey b Hazlewood 0, West Indies 7-3
A review for Hazlewood fourth ball of the over, Athenaze propping forward and missing on the front foot. Didn’t look like an edge live, but they send it up. Nothing on the soundwave, he survives. So to celebrate his good fortune, Athenaze hooks at the next ball and gloves it through to Carey.
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5th over: West Indies 7-2 (McKenzie 5, Athenaze 0) McKenzie draws runs level with wickets, nudging Starc to midwicket for one. Three left-handers in the West Indies top four, with Alick Athenaze following McKenzie and Chanderpaul. Gets a leg bye as Starc bowls that leg-stump line. Then wide, and McKenzie drives for four! Finally a shot of confidence. Front foot, pressing down towards a kneeling stance as he gets the full ball through cover.
4th over: West Indies 1-2 (McKenzie 0, Athenaze 0) Nearly bowled, Athenaze. Inside edge onto pad, spinning back past leg stump. He got bowled leaving Hazlewood in the first innings. Runs a ball off the face to gully but can’t get past Green. Four overs, two wickets, one run. Hazlewood has 2 for 0.
WICKET! Brathwaite c Head b Hazlewood 1, West Indies 1-2
Oh dear, there goes another one. That’s a fine catch at short leg. Hard inside edge, it’s travelling flat at the shins of Travis Head, set several paces back. He gets both hands around it. Both openers, the only two long-innings players of any pedigree in this side, are gone.
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3rd over: West Indies 1-1 (Brathwaite 1, McKenzie 0) First run in the innings, as Brathwaite presses Starc to cover and sprints through.
2nd over: West Indies 0-1 (Brathwaite 0, McKenzie 0) Nearly another for Hazlewood, as McKenzie reaches for a ball that swings away from him. Another lefty, made 50 in the first innings. Three slips and a 2-for-1 gully in Green. Lyon at point. Open ground at cover. Mid off, mid on, midwicket, long leg. Hazlewood over the wicket, angling across. Sun shining, medium windy, a few wrappers blowing across the ground, although these West Indies batters don’t kick up a fuss about it. Wicket maiden.
WICKET! Chanderpaul c Carey b Hazlewood 0, West Indies 0-1
Golden duck for Chanderpaul. Decent delivery, it’s full and maybe swings in a touch to the left-hander, then seams away. He’s just covering his off stump and it takes a faint outside edge.
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1st over: West Indies 0-0 (Brathwaite 0, Chanderpaul 0) Mitchell Starc with the new ball, and Brathwaite hangs in there watchfully. Almost scores with a steer through gully, but Green is able to sprawl and get a long arm across to stop it.
Time for the West Indies reply.
Australia all out 283, lead by 95 on the first innings
81.1 overs in the end, and what a sight this is. Shamar Joseph, 24 years old, from a tiny town in Guyana, who gave up his job a couple of years ago to try to make it as a cricketer, has taken 5 for 94 on Test debut.
He leads his team off the field, teammates hanging back to give him his moment. And this guy, who last night at the press conference was so nervous that he put his head on his forearms for a good 30 seconds to breathe before he was ready to answer our very gentle questions, he stops before the rope, looks up at the crowd, spreads both arms wide, and gives them a low stately bow, his maroon cap in one hand.
The noise in response is immense. They love it. They let him know.
You can’t describe the size of the smile on his face as he walks off. Test cricket. It’s pretty good.
WICKET! Cummins b Roach 12, Australia 283-10
Two in two balls. Kemar Roach to start the next over, gets it full and swinging right away. Too good for Cummins. The new ball does its work.
WICKET! Lyon b S. Joseph 24, Australia 283-9
81st over: Australia 283-9 (Cummins 12) Shamar Joseph gets five wickets on debut!
Takes the new ball, with four wickets in his bag. Alzarri and Roach took it at the start of the innings. Lyon crashes a drive back at him that he fields. Takes two through square leg, then hooks six off a short ball!
That was so nearly caught at fine leg, just clears Roach who could have been a foot further back on the rope. Probably wouldn’t have got it anyway.
But that doesn’t faze Shamar. He races in for his final ball, spears it at the stumps, late swing, new ball, in towards the batter, and it takes out leg stump.
80th over: Australia 275-8 (Cummins 12, Lyon 16) Three singles from Greaves, still no breakthrough… but here comes the new Kooka.
79th over: Australia 272-8 (Cummins 11, Lyon 14) Motie carries on, has not been any threat to the Australians. Cummins drives a run, Motie appeals as a full toss hits Lyon’s pad but it was angled well down leg. Flat and quick. They get a leg bye.
78th over: Australia 270-8 (Cummins 10, Lyon 14) Greaves bowling, I assume, to take us up to the new ball. Due after 80 overs. Three slips waiting. A good rolling stop at backward point prevents Lyon scoring. Nearly gloves a ball down the leg side. Then thinks he has his man! Full ball, swinging in, strikes the pad, big appeal. I thought that was swinging down, but the umpire gives it… and the review show it missing leg stump by a way. A sharp angle. No run from the over, but no wicket either for Greaves.
77th over: Australia 270-8 (Cummins 10, Lyon 14) Another boundary for Lyon. Smartly played with a little steer against the spinner Motie, through deep third. He’s still never made a Test fifty, got out for 47 in Cape Town during that infamous Test. Slapped one to cover, I can still see it. Could be a chance to get there today. Beautiful afternoon, tiring attack.
76th over: Australia 265-8 (Cummins 10, Lyon 9) Justin Greaves to start us off after tea, right arm mediums, and the third ball is dropped! Oh no. They’ve caught so well after da Silva’s early miss yesterday. But their best slipper is bowling right now, and McKenzie in his place at a floating slip lets the ball out. Lyon cashes in by steering the fifth ball for four.
Tea - Day 2, Australia 260-8 lead by 72 in the first innings
Australia in front, but not by too much. West Indies with a chance to keep them to something modest, then bat again and set them a testing chase. At least that’s the conventional path.
Or – whisper it – West Indies could lose today. Say we see Australia lead by 90, all out, then the fast bowlers go on a tear. Two and a half hour session to come. It’s not out of the question.
75th over: Australia 260-8 (Cummins 10, Lyon 4) Motie to finish the session, just a swept single for Lyon.
74th over: Australia 259-8 (Cummins 10, Lyon 3) The genuine lower order then. Lyon loves the pull shot, we know that. Has nailed plenty. So Joseph pitches it up, three slips and a gully in place. But after a few balls, overpitches, and Lyon can drive three. No-ball, too.
WICKET! Head c Hodge b A. Joseph 119, Australia 255-8
What a catch! Head sees a pulling length from Joseph, rocks back and clouts it as ever. Backs himself to clear the deeps quare leg. Hodge there sees the ball swirling up and has to gauge it. Comes in from the rope a little. Then goes back. Along the rope a few metres. Waiting. It hangs. Looks like it will clear him. He steps close to the rope. Lets the ball go over him, reaches back, and plucks it with two hands behind his body, stopping himself from teetering over.
The crowd was anticipating that he would drop that. Usually when players have to make so many different movements, they do. But he holds it, and they let out an astonished “Oooh!” He holds the ball up in salute, beaming.
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73rd over: Australia 255-7 (Head 118, Cummins 10) Same M.O. for M.O.T.I.E – a Head single, then Blocktown.
72nd over: Australia 254-7 (Head 118, Cummins 10) There’s a Joseph swap, Alzarri coming back. Head still drills the ball, but only down the ground for one. Cummins sees off the est, beaten once by a good ‘un.
71st over: Australia 253-7 (Head 117, Cummins 10) Things calm down a jot with Motie only conceding some singles.
Greg Baum: “Counterintuitively to the cavalier way he plays, Travis Head often gets his runs not when they are most available, but when they are most needed.”
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70th over: Australia 250-7 (Head 115, Cummins 9) Time for Head to party, which he does by pumping Joseph over deep midwicket for six. That slapping sloppy pull shot style of his. Feels good? Yeah? So he has another. Hauling his body in a half circle, knitted sweater vest trailing behind the movement. Might be the least elegant specialist player of that shot in the world. Nearly gets out to it next ball! Top edge swirling high over mid off, but Braithwaite can’t judge where it’s going to fall and can’t make up the distance running back. Braithwaite throws the field back, and Head pushes a run to deep point. That was easy. Keeps strike.
16 from the over. Shamar just laughs. What else can you do?
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Century! Travis Head 100 from 122 balls
69th over: Australia 234-7 (Head 100, Cummins 8) Left-arm spinner with a flat trajectory bowling around the wicket into Pat Cummins’ swinging arc – there’s only one way that’s going. Over midwicket for four. Motie slows his pace up the next ball, shortens his length a touch, gives it a chance to turn away. That’s better, nudged to the off side and can’t score. Nor from a cracked cut shot straight at cover. But when Motie goes back towards the stumps, he’s thumped away again for three.
And that gives Travis Head the chance to wait for a full loopy ball and drive it square for four. A South Australian on his home ground – I know he got one last year, but is Head the first SA player to do it since Greg Blewett? That rings a bell.
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68th over: Australia 223-7 (Head 96, Cummins 1) Sharmar Joseph has 4 for 69. Very nice. There’s a nice cheer from the crowd as Cummins walks to the middle. Drives out a yorker for his first run.
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WICKET! Starc c Chanderpaul b S. Joseph 10, Australia 222-7
It’s Shamar again! You can’t stop this guy! The 24-year-old on debut gets a nasty angling ball in at Starc, who tries to play it down but the bounce is too much. It lobs up on the leg side, and Chanderpaul under the helmet has to dive forward a long way but scoops it up above the turf. Good take.
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67th over: Australia 221-6 (Head 95, Starc 10) Motie makes it easy for Head with a ball on the leg stump line, glanced away to start the over with a four.
66th over: Australia 216-6 (Head 90, Starc 10) And Head is into his zone as well. Slams Shamar Joseph back down the ground for four, off a length and pummelled with a cross-bat, then gets a shorter ball at the sternum and leans back to dab it through deep third. Oh, and another boundary, this time a genuine edge as he drives a full ball, but there aren’t enough catchers there anymore to intercept it. Braithwaite moves a gully wider, and keeps a second slip. That’s it. Head steers along the ground to that slipper. Then drops and runs to keep the strike.
65th over: Australia 205-6 (Head 79, Starc 10) Uh oh, Starc is starting to hurt the Windies now. Gets forward and drives Motie lavishly through cover, to end an over that had a few singles from it too.
64th over: Australia 198-6 (Head 77, Starc 5) Shamar Joseph, three to his name already, needs a fourth. They’ve done so much good work but Australia can still get away substantially. Three slips and a gully waiting for Starc, who is able to nudge a run into the leg side. Head does the same to a no-ball.
63rd over: Australia 195-6 (Head 76, Starc 4) Motie burns through an over, just a couple of singles.
Thanks Angus. This has been good fun so far today.
62nd over: Australia 193-6 (Head 75, Starc 3) Kemar Roach has the first over after drinks and Head greets it with an attempted whump over slips but has to settle for a single backward of square. A thick edge past gully gets Starc off strike but Head’s dab to long leg retains it. Time for me to handover to Geoff Lemon. Cheers for your company today and see yers on the morrow!
61st over: Australia 190-6 (Head 73, Starc 2) Greaves exits the attack, Shamar Joseph enters. The youngster’s dream debut has entered its 15th over and he is seeking a fourth wicket to go with his 36 run flurry in the first innings. Instead Starc tucks him away for a legbye and Head taps him square for a single off the bat. Those two runs officially surpass the West Indies’ total of 188 and put Australia ahead in this Test.
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60th over: Australia 187-6 (Head 70, Starc 2) WHACK! That first ball from Kemar Roach was right in the Travis Head Fun Zone and he swivelled on it and spiflicated that poor Kookaburra ball over the midwicket fielder and into the fence on the first bounce. Roach rallies to get one thumping into Head’s pads with a little inside edge. His miscued drive on the last brings Australia to within a run of West Indies’ total.
59th over: Australia 182-6 (Head 66, Starc 2) Starc gets off the mark with an elegant cover drive for two. Nice shot. Greaves has 2-28 from his 12 overs and Australia trail by 6 runs.
58th over: Australia 180-6 (Head 66, Starc 0) Head heaves Roach high over the infield but he only gets two runs to add to the first two he tucked down the legside. Australia have the chase into single figures now.
57th over: Australia 176-6 (Head 62, Starc 0) The tip of the Australian tail has arrived in the form of Mitchell Starc, a bowler with 345 wickets and – more notably given the task at hand – more than 2000 runs at 21. He ducks and weaves through Greaves’ over without adding to that impressive tally.
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56th over: Australia 173-6 (Head 61, Starc 0) Here comes the Head counter attack! Having farewelled his bestie on the final ball of Greaves’ over, Head declares his intent to the first ball of Alzarri Joseph’s 16th over: a beligerent slash behind point. Lovely shot but he’s undone by the next few, playing and missing, not yet in the rhythm we saw last summer against West Indies, in India and during the 2023 Ashes.
WICKET! Carey c Da Silva b Greaves 15 (Australia 168-6)
West Indies strike back! Carey had just cut Greaves for four but the bowler’s response was excellent. He thumped it in fast on a length outside off-stump and Carey moved too slow and too sideways, catching a thick edge and sending it into the safe hands of the keeper. Australia are in trouble!
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55th over: Australia 168-5 (Head 56, Carey 15) Cracked by Carey! Greaves put it short and wide an Carey cut truly to sent it flying past the fielder an into the rope. This Head-Carey partnership is now worth 39 and Australia trail by 20.
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54th over: Australia 162-5 (Head 54, Carey 11) With the monkey off his back somewhat and the milestone of a 17th Test fifty notched, Head gets kinky with a shorter fifth ball, leaning back and tapping it over the slip cordon for four. Two earlier singles and a no-ball and single either side of Head’s boundary makes it eight off the over.
FIFTY for Travis Head! Australia are 156 for 5 still 32 runs behid
Alzarri Joseph was working the angles, using the crease to create confusion but Head outwitted his third ball, moving across and guiding it fine for an easy single that brings up his 17th Test half century.
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53rd over: Australia 155-5 (Head 49, Carey 10) Travis Head hasn’t scored a half-century in his 10 innings since the Ashes Test in Leeds. He tries to get there with a pull shot off Greaves to deep midwicket but hits it too well and only gets a single to reach 49. Carey winds up twice and makes good contact each time but Brathwaite’s field foils any further runs.
52nd over: Australia 154-5 (Head 48, Carey 10) Alzarri Joseph is bang on target this over, putting it on a length and keeping Carey guessing. He extracts good bounce from the third to beats the Australian keeper in the tiny gaps between bat, pad and body. It’s a great ball and deserves a shout from the bowler but captain Brathwaite is wise not to review. It’s only air. We’re told this day two Adelaide crowd has built to 18,235.
51st over: Australia 154-5 (Head 48, Carey 10) In the air… safe! Greaves skidded that one on at 130kph and it caught Head on the hop. He popped it up just short of midwicket. Close! Carey runs a legbye to get Australia within 34 runs of overhauling West Indies’ first innings total. Head drives the final Greaves ball uppishly but can’t pierce the infield.
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50th over: Australia 152-5 (Head 47, Carey 10) Head drives for four! Alzarri Joseph’s mind must have still been on lunch because his first delivery after the break is an absolute buffet ball which Head dispatches to the midoff boundary. He takes a single from the next to let Carey enter double-figures with a tap past square leg. Joseph buckles Head on the fifth with a fast riser but he guides the last to deep point for another run.
49th over: Australia 145-5 (Head 41, Carey 9) The sun is shining in Adelaide and we have two Adelaide lads resuming their innings to allrounder Justin Greaves who delivers a legside ball to get us underway. Head ambles a legbye. Curious move by captain Brathwaite not to get his strike bowlers Shamar Joseph or Kemar Roach on immediately after lunch to press home the advantage. But as if to prove me wrong, Greaves cuts Carey in half with the final ball, missing bat, pad, body and – somehow – stumps.
LUNCH: Australia are 144 for 5 chasing West Indies' 188
Fascinating first session on day two. Australia added 84 runs from 27 overs but paid a high price for them, losing the three top-order wickets of Cameron Green (14), Usman Khawaja (45) and Mitchell Marsh (5).
Those key wickets came from good bowling and catching. Golden boy debutant Shamar Joseph (3-52) picked up where he left off with his fourth ball of the day claiming the big wicket of Green before fellow debutant Justin Greaves (1-18) drew an edge from Khawaja, adding to his good morning a few minutes later when he snaffled a snick from Marsh off the bowling of Kemar Roach (1-36).
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has swung the bowling changes beautifully this morning to keep the world’s No 1 Test side off-kilter and still 44 runs in arrears at lunch. Can two sons of South Australia Travis Head (41 not out) and Alex Carey (9 not out) wrestle back the momentum in front of a big Adelaide crowd? Or will the unfancied visitors continue to stick it to their critics – and the home side?
Time for a bite to eat and a bit to drink. See you in halfa.
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48th over: Australia 144-5 (Head 41, Carey 9) Head cuts Roach’s first ball square and hustles two to hit 40, his highest score of the summer. A French cut by Head gets him a streaky single to short fine leg. Carey sees out the over and the two Croweaters head for the buffet. That’s lunch, folks.
47th over: Australia 141-5 (Head 38, Carey 9) Australia start this over 49 runs behind West Indies’ 188. Carey wats to whittle that deficit back in boundaries before lunch it seems. He lunges at Greaves’ second ball but misses by a milimetre. Pulls his head in on the next couple but shows a full face to the fifth and gets two runs down the ground.
46th over: Australia 137-5 (Head 37, Carey 7) Roach has the speed gun hovering in the high 120s, a few notches down on the speeds of the young firebrand who achieved the impossible in 2009 and forced ironman Ricky Ponting to retire hurt. We have a big shout for LBW against Head on the fifth ball here. Onfield decision is NOT OUT but because Head fell over himself so awkwardly, West Indies opt to review. Replays show it shaving leg stump so onfield decision will stand.
45th over: Australia 137-5 (Head 37, Carey 7) Two South Australian batters and best mates at the crease now in Travis Head and Alex Carey. Both are attacking batters but Shamar Joseph and the West Indies attack have their tails up and the ball moving. After five dots Carey throws down the gauntlet beautifully on-driving for four (make that five, it was a no-ball). Lovely stroke by a man back in form.
44th over: Australia 132-5 (Head 36, Carey 3) Marsh has edged so many times and watched it fall short. Finally, the West Indies twigged and moved in a footstep or two. It has now paid dividends as gully man Greaves took a lovely catch down low in what is becoming an excellent debut. New batter Alex Carey gets off the mark with a crisp cut for three.
WICKET! Marsh c Greaves b Roach 5 (Australia 128-5)
He edged and edged and edged again. And finally Marsh has edged into the hands of the West Indies slip cordon. Just reward for good bowling by Kemar Roach and just desserts for Marsh who looked scratchy for his five runs from 26 balls. West Indies are right in this Test!
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43rd over: Australia 128-4 (Head 36, Marsh 5) Nose and toes. That’s the Shamar Joseph modus operandi at the moment. His first ball is an attempted sandshoe crusher which Head heaves at it but miscues back into his pads. His second sails over Head’s helmet and almost keeper too. Head slices the third through point for a single. Finally, Marsh gets on top of one, stepping out to cover drive a boundary. But he undoes the glory of that stroke with another bung inside edge that bounces over middle stump.
42nd over: Australia 122-4 (Head 35, Marsh 1) Mitch Marsh may have been the highest run-scorer in the series against Pakistan but he doesn’t look a form player at the moment. His edge to Roach’s fourth delivery is his fourth or fifth edge so far. He’s been very lucky they’ve all fallen short of slips. Finally he middles one down the ground but – luck! – an outstretched hand stops runs. Two fiercely attacking batters at the crease but somehow it’s a maiden.
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41st over: Australia 122-4 (Head 35, Marsh 2) That man Shamar Joseph is back in the attack as West Indies go for the jugular knowing that one more wicket exposes the beginnings of Australia’s tail. Another edge by Marsh and it draws a shake of the head from the batter and a rueful grin from Joseph. He is loving every second of this Test debut. A Marsh mishit yields a single from the final delivery. Australia still trail by 66 runs.
40th over: Australia 121-4 (Head 35, Marsh 1) Edged by Marsh! But it falls short of second slip and he survives. Greaves has found his rhythm now and with the wicket of Khawaja in his kitbag, is relishing taking on the Bison.
39th over: Australia 120-4 (Head 34, Marsh 1) Great duel unfolding here between Travis Head and Shamar Joseph. The young quick has his speed up to 140kph but Head has his eye in. Short ball, full ball, every delivery a challenge. Until the fourth where Head’s patience snaps and he pulls brutally for four over square. Head then swats the next, a no-ball, behind backward square for two. New batter Marsh taps a single on the last to get off the mark.
38th over: Australia 113-4 (Head 29, Marsh 0) Greaves has his first Test wicket it puts Australia on its heels. They have lost their top four batters for not many (by their standards) and are still 75 runs short of West Indies’ total of 188. That 55-run 10th wicket partnership by Kemar Roach and Shamar Joseph is getting more valuable by the minute.
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WICKET! Khawaja c Athanaze b Greaves 45 (Australia 112-4)
Khawaja succumbs! He survived an lbw shout the previous delivery but Greaves hung the next ball wide outside off-stump and the veteran opener chased and got a thick edge where second slip Athanaza took a good catch lunging to this right. That’s Justin Greaves’ first Test wicket and it’s a valuable one. West Indies hit back again and Australia in a bit of trouble.
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37th over: Australia 112-3 (Khawaja 45, Head 28) Khawaja gets in on the action! Motie dropped it short and Khawaja caned it through covers to the boundary to move within one shot of his 26th Test half-century.
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36th over: Australia 107-3 (Khawaja 41, Head 27) SIX from Head! Having played himself in, the Adelaide boy hit the accelerator for his home fans. That one from Greaves was straight and slow and the moustachioed No 5 heaved it high and heavy over the fence and 15 rows back. He thrashes another through backward point but good fielding keeps it to one.
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35th over: Australia 100-3 (Khawaja 41, Head 20) Spinner Gudakesh Motie is on but Khawaja, a master of the art, has see all this before. Motie gets a couple to skid on and the last to jag back but there’s no runs and no mistakes so honours end even between bat and ball.
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34th over: Australia 100-3 (Khawaja 41, Head 18) CRACK goes Head! Greaves’ second ball was full and wide and Head flogged it on an aerial route wide of deep point. That’s 3000 Test runs for Head. He flays the final delivery to the rope but a dive on the boundary keeps it to two. Australia’s 100 is up and they now trail by 88 runs.
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33rd over: Australia 94-3 (Khawaja 41, Head 14) Kemar Roach returns. The big 35-year-old is into the 80th Test of his esteemed career. He has 265 wickets at 27.8 placing him fifth in the all-time wicket-takers list for the West Indies, ahead of Joel Garner but behind the holy trinity of Courney Walsh (519), Curtley Ambrose (405) and Malcolm Marshall (376). He bowls a maiden here.
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32nd over: Australia 94-3 (Khawaja 41, Head 14) Justin Pierre Greaves’ first ball in Test cricket is a beauty. It’s only 120kph but it rises sharply on Khawaja and he flinches but drops it at his feet. Good start for the 29-year-old allrounder from Barbados. He floats the next few wide. Khawaja takes him for one but Head wants a closer look at the rookie before he starts flaying him. Just one from the over. Welcome to Test cricket, Mr Greaves.
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31st over: Australia 93-3 (Khawaja 40, Head 14) BANG goes Head! New bowler kemar Roach floated in a tame half-volley and Head thrashed it through covers for his first boundary of the day. Good comeback though as Roach draws a wild slash that inside edges just shy of the stumps. Head gets the final world, whipping the final delivery square for another four. Travis Head is away!
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30th over: Australia 85-3 (Khawaja 40, Head 6) Head cuts Alzarri Joseph’s first ball fine and gets two. The West Indies bowlers have their tail up after the early wicket of Cameron Green and are challenging the batters with good balls on a length and tempting traps wide of the stumps. It’s smart bowling. And credit goes to their bowling coach Shaun Tait, the former Australian quick from Nairne, South Australia once known the world over as “The Wild Thing”.
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29th over: Australia 82-3 (Khawaja 40, Head 3) Almost an edge! Khawaja had a big swish at Shamar Joseph’s first ball and the bowler threw his head back in disbelief. Khawaja taps a run through covers and Head returns the dose, running a ball to long leg. Khawaja swings hard at the final delivery, heaving it into the deep but short of the rope. He gets another two.
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28th over: Australia 78-3 (Khawaja 37, Head 2) Australia trail by 111 as Alzarri Joseph enters his 11th over with Usman Khawaja facing the music. He hops to meet a ball on the rise and backhands it fine to scamper a run. Head chases a ball on the same trajectory drawing a noise but no run. Joseph bangs the next one in short but Head resists the temptation to swat it square. Joseph tries it again – he must’ve seen the multiplicity of clips of Head falling to the short ball – but the batter veers away again.
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27th over: Australia 77-3 (Khawaja 36, Head 2) Travis Head now gets his first look at Shamar Joseph. Although he hasn’t had much of a summer so far hius reciord against the West Indies is epic – four Tests, 312 runs at an average of 156 at a strike-rate of 90.4. What plans have the visitors formulated? Joseph tests him with a short ball then goes full before Head winds up a big pull shot that only yields a single. Khawaja clips wide of mid-on to hang onto the strike.
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26th over: Australia 75-3 (Khawaja 35, Head 1) Head taps his sixth ball through covers to get off the mark. Khawaja now springs into life, springing onto his toes to viciously pull Alzarri Joseph to the boundary wide of mid-on. His strike rate might be under 48 but that’s Khawaja’s fifth four. Of course he should’ve been out caught by keeper Da Silva yesterday when he was just 6.
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25th over: Australia 69-3 (Khawaja 31, Head 0) Shamar Joseph enters his eighth over with Australia trailing by 119 runs. Khawaja is content to let the first length balls two pass. He tries to get bat on the legside ball that follows but can’t. Joseph is slinging them down in the high 130s. He’s not a tall man – more Malcolm Marshall than Joel Garner – but his feats in this Test will make sure he’s forever a big man in his home town of Baracara, Guyana (pop 350).
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24th over: Australia 69-3 (Khawaja 31, Head 0) Here comes Alzarri Joseph again and his first ball beats Khawaja. Finally, on the fourth, Uzzy runs a single to notch his first runs of the day. Khawaja has a good record at the Adelaide Oval – 392 runs at 48 – and with an attacking batter at the other end to keep the runs flowing, he can settle into his sheet anchor role.
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WICKET! Green c Da Silva b S Joseph (Australia 67-3)
The dream debut continues for Shamar Joseph! He responds to Green spanking him for consecutive boundaries with a ball that moves through the air and forces Green into a defensive stroke. But it pops up and moves enough to catch feathered edge from the big allrounder. Joseph has 3-27 and Green is gorn!
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23rd over: Australia 67-2 (Khawaja 30, Green 14) Here’s the man of the moment and the other Joseph in this West Indies attack, Shamar Joseph. Green plays out a couple of dots before making a statement: a cracking boundary through backward point and a powerful flick through midwicket…
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22nd over: Australia 59-2 (Khawaja 30, Green 6) Here we go, folks. It will be Alzarri Joseph bowling to Usman Khawaja. It’s a cloudy day in Adelaide and so cool a few of the West Indies players have called for jumpers. Joseph’s six balls, all delivered above 130kph. can’t get the blood pumping either. Khawaja plays out a maiden.
Joseph’s wonderful performance on debut stole some of the shine from Australia’s Josh Hazlewood hitting 250 Test wickets although I doubt the ever-humble NSW quick would begrudge being shaded by a young quick on the rise.
The Bendemeer Bullet’s four-wicket blitz – at one stage Hazlewood had 4-14 before Joseph’s late hitting battered his figures to 4-44 – gave Australia the only one team in Test history to boast an attack featuring four bowlers with more than 250 wickets each. Extraordinary.
Shamar Joseph shook the world yesterday. His 36 off 41 balls was the highest ever score by a West Indies No 11 on debut and equalled the international record set by English No 11 Norman Cowans in 1982. Joseph then took a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket – just the 23rd man in the history of the game to achieve the feat.
“Getting Steve Smith, I’ll remember this for the rest of my life,” the 24-year-old quick said after stumps. “I will actually take a picture and take it home and post it in my house.”
Joseph’s modesty belied a clever plan devised for the Australian ace. “I’ve watched a few Test matches of Steve Smith, and I think that area is a weakness for him,” Joseph said. “I just said ‘I’ll hit the top of off’ because he’s a batsman that treads across a lot. He tries to take you off your line, so I stick to the basics and try to hit the top of off with some late movement away and got the edge. I was tense, bowling to Steve Smith isn’t easy.”
Joseph said he had a premonition he would achieve the extraordinary. “I had a few conversations with the boys in the dressing room, and I told them I would get a wicket with my first ball!” he laughed.
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For those who came in late, here’s how Day One played out…
Preamble
Morning all, and welcome back to Adelaide Oval for day two of the Guardian’s over-by-over coverage of this first Test between Australia and West Indies for the Frank Worrell Trophy. Angus Fontaine here to navigate the early sessions for you with Geoff Lemon to bring you home.
Day one was wonderful – full of skill, courage and drama.
Pat Cummins became the first captain in 44 years to win the toss in Adelaide and bowl first. The decision paid off with Cummins (4-41) and Josh Hazlewood (4-44) ripping through the West Indies for 188, but only after a fiercely entertaining last-wicket partnership between debutant No 11 Shamar Joseph (36) and No 10 Kemar Roach (17*). Their 55-run last stand delivered a riproaring riposte to Australia’s famed bowling cartel and injected vivid life into this Test.
Joseph then stole all the headlines – and hearts – when his first ball in Test cricket dismissed Australia’s new opening batsman Steve Smith for 12. He later claimed the wicket of No 3 Marnus Labuschagne to strike another blow for the visitors and send the world’s No 1 side staggering to stumps at 59-2.
It capped an extraordinary rise for the 24-year-old quick, who grew up in the tiny village of Baracara on the banks of the remote Canje River. A year ago, Joseph had abandoned his cricket career to work as a bouncer and logger in support of his wife and two children and his five sisters and three brothers back home. But in February 2023 he rekindled the dream, and nine games into his first-class career, he is now a Test player.
Joseph (2-12) has the opportunity to further bedazzle his Cinderella story this morning when he attempts to uproot overnight batters Usman Khawaja (30* but dropped on 6) and Cameron Green (6*). Under cloudy Adelaide skies, on a wicket with plenty of surprises and with a local hero in Travis Head padded up to come in next, it’s going to be fun, fun, fun.
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