First Test: Windies, Australia locked in tight battle

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

West Indies and Australia are locked in an intense battle for supremacy following a riveting second day in the first Test here yesterday.

West Indies, resuming on their overnight total of 57 for four, were eventually dismissed for 190, giving them a slender first-innings lead of 10 runs.

Australia then found themselves precariously placed at 65 for four at one stage, but Beau Webster and Travis Head navigated the remaining minutes safely to see them finish on 92 for four, to set up an intriguing third day of play.

The home side would have been hoping for a handy first-innings lead with the set Brandon King and captain Roston Chase at the crease to start the day.

But King only added three runs to his overnight total of 23 before he shouldered arms to an inswinger from Josh Hazlewood and was bowled to make the score 72 for five.

His dismissal brought Shai Hope to the crease and he wasted little time in driving Mitchell Starc exquisitely through the covers for four and followed it up with a dazzling straight drive.

Chase, on the other hand, was more defensive, opting to work the bowlers around the ground and pick up his runs with twos and singles.

They looked on course to take the momentum away from Australia during a 67-run partnership that took the score up to 139 for five.

However, the first of two questionable decisions by the third umpire broke the stand, after Chase was wrapped on the pad by Pat Cummins and given out, but immediately reviewed.

And, even though the replay showed that the ball changed direction before hitting his pad, indicating an inside edge, the original decision was upheld to see Chase dismissed for 44.

Justin Greaves didn’t last long, scoring just four before edging behind to the keeper, before another contentious decision went Australia’s way.

Shai Hope had batted brilliantly for his 48 before he was undone by a sharp inswinger from Webster that took the inside edge of his bat on the way through to a diving wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who took a stunning catch diving to his left.

The catch was reviewed for a clean take and, even though the replay showed that the ball touched the ground while in Carey’s gloves, Hope was still sent packing.

Alzarri Joseph added valuable runs in an unbeaten 23 from 20 balls, as the West Indies’ last two wickets added 28 crucial runs to give them a slight lead.

Starc led the way with 3-65, while Webster (2-20), Cummins (2-34) and Josh Hazlewood (2-41) provided good support.

With the match in the balance, Australia’s opener Sam Konstas was given two lifelines in the second innings, with Shamar Joseph being the unlucky bowler once again.

His partner Usman Khawaja had no such luck, and was undone by an inswinger from Alzarri Joseph that trapped him plumb in front, and Konstas followed soon after, playing on a delivery from Shamar Joseph to see the Aussies slip to 34 for two.