13 hours ago
1
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP):
THE WEST Indies routed Australia for 180, only to discover how tricky the Kensington Oval pitch in Barbados was by losing four wickets on day one of their Test series opener yesterday.
The home side were 57-4 at stumps with Brandon King 23 not out on debut, trying to make up for his three dropped catches in the field.
Teammate Jayden Seales took 5-60, his third Test five-for, all at home, but Shamar Joseph was the more impressive bowler with 4-46. In nine Tests, he has 34 wickets, 17 of them Australians. He owned the morning session.
Australia were all out inside 57 overs for their lowest total in the West Indies after batting first.
Only three batters got into double figures: Usman Khawaja (47), Travis Head (59), and captain Pat Cummins (28).
There was some déjà vu for Australia from the World Test Championship final against South Africa less than two weeks ago at Lord’s. Australia were out for 212 on the first day, when 14 wickets were also taken.
Cummins followed tradition in Bridgetown when he won the toss and chose to bat first. What looked like a bat-first pitch – mainly bare and dry – was revealed as a trap, gifting the pacers seam, swing and the odd shooter. Of the day’s 14 wickets, 10 came from edges.
After an hour, Australia were 22-3.
Sam Konstas, replacing the dropped Marnus Labuschagne, was out for three in the fourth over, lbw to Joseph.
Cameron Green came in and was dropped in the same over at gully by King. Green was still bagged by Joseph on three after nicking to second slip.
Josh Inglis, covering for an injured Steve Smith at number four, pulled Seales but top-edged for wicketkeeper Shai Hope, playing his first Test in four years. It was the first of Hope’s four catches.
Khawaja had been hunkering down, but when Head arrived they counter-punched. They continued after lunch, when Khawaja was dropped, again by King, on 45.
Head passed Khawaja to get to 50 off 57 balls, but Khawaja was out for 47 off 128 after nicking Joseph. Their 89-run partnership was the longest of the day.
When Beau Webster was castled, Joseph had 4-25 off 12 overs.
Joseph also appeared to then claim Head, who under-edged behind. But the third umpire said video was inconclusive that the ball carried to Hope.
Seales got his second wicket after Alex Carey edged to first slip on eight right on tea.
Head was out straight after tea on 59 off 78 balls, including nine boundaries. He edged Justin Greaves behind.
Seales mopped up the last three wickets.
Kraigg Brathwaite couldn’t get through the fifth over of the West Indies’ reply, nicking Mitchell Starc on four. Starc also got the edge of the returning John Campbell for seven.
Cummins prised out Keacy Carty for 20, and Josh Hazlewood joined the party by removing nightwatchman Jomel Worrican for a duck.
That forced new captain Roston Chase to join King, and they survived the day’s last 3.1 overs. Chase, playing his first Test since March 2023, was not out on one.
English (US) ·