Solely three classes into the primary Take a look at at Kensington Oval and the competition already sits on a knife-edge. Australia collapsed for 180 after successful the toss, however West Indies limped to 57 for 4 in fading mild, leaving the edges separated by a mere 123 runs and the pitch nonetheless bristling with menace.
Seales & Joseph ignite the morning
Quick-bowling tandem Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph channelled echoes of the good Caribbean quicks, sharing 9 for 124 and extracting disconcerting raise and seam from a floor that had appeared innocuous on the toss.
“This one was fairly particular for me,” Seales beamed after sealing figures of 5-60. “With the brand new ball the plan was to bowl full and on the stumps … Shamar was particular at the moment; he acquired by the highest order and made it straightforward for us in a while.”
Joseph’s opening burst accounted for debutant Sam Konstas lbw, Cameron Inexperienced to slide and, crucially, Usman Khawaja for 47, ending an 89-run stand with Travis Head.
Head holds – briefly
Head counter-punched to 59 from 78 balls, however after tea medium-pacer Justin Greaves coaxed an edge behind. Seales then swept away the tail – Pat Cummins’ brisk 28 however – to log his third Take a look at five-for and strand Australia at their lowest first-innings whole within the Caribbean since 1995.
The hosts may need been chasing far fewer. Debutant Brandon King spilled three probabilities within the cordon, whereas Roston Chase let Khawaja escape on six. These misses – and two extra off Joseph – price West Indies 70 runs all informed.
Starc strikes again
Australia’s fightback was swift and surgical. Mitchell Starc, in his 99th Take a look at, eliminated each openers inside 5 overs, squaring up Kraigg Brathwaite (4) and drawing the sting of John Campbell (7). Cummins nicked off a busy Keacy Carty for 20, and Josh Hazlewood pierced nightwatchman Jomel Warrican’s defence earlier than stumps.
Captain Roston Chase (1 not out) – marking his fiftieth Take a look at – and the chastened King (23 not out) will resume on Thursday, tasked with repairing early harm and erasing recollections of these dropped probabilities.
Day one delivered every little thing: hostile bowling, missed sitters, spirited counter-attacks and a palpable sense that the pitch nonetheless has loads to say. If the opening salvos are any information, this Take a look at could also be remembered as a lot for its momentum swings as for its outright talent. Stumps might have arrived with the match delicately balanced, however the storm guarantees to rage on when play resumes.
