Summary
Steve Smith’s opening punt seemed to fail but Pat Cummins’ rare gamble paid off to give Australia a winning hand against the West Indies on day one of the first Test.
Report:
Stumps: Australia 59 for 2, trailing by 129 in the first innings
So ends a satisfactory day for Australia – sent in West Indies, bowled them out cheaply, last-wicket annoyance notwithstanding, and have made a good start after that target although it hasn’t been at the sort of run rate we’ve been accustomed to with David Warner around.
It was, at the same time, a great day for Shamar Joseph, who was awarded his cap in the morning, made runs at 11, grabbed a wicket with his first ball, and followed up with another.
Plenty of work for West Indies to do tomorrow to have any hope of staying in the match, but perhaps individual wins like Joseph’s are just as important at this stage.
We’ll see you tomorrow.
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21st over: Australia 59-2 (Khawaja 30, Green 6) Last-over spin. A classic. Motie lets Khawaja escape first ball, then comes around the wicket to Green. Bowls flat and fast in at the stumps. Doesn’t show much of his wares.
20th over: Australia 58-2 (Khawaja 29, Green 6) Soon back on strike, Green pushes and prods and gets beaten by Alzarri a couple of times.
19th over: Australia 57-2 (Khawaja 28, Green 6) Not much left in the day now. A couple more overs. Green plays out most of Shamar Joseph’s set, but ends it with a classy back-foot punch, square of the wicket, an effortless four.
18th over: Australia 53-2 (Khawaja 28, Green 2) A big cheer for a steward who runs on to pick up a couple of plastic wrappers that are distracting Green by blowing around in the wind. Alzarri Joseph comes back to bowl. No great stirrings of the earth greet this over.
The official attendance is 26,361.
17th over: Australia 52-2 (Khawaja 28, Green 1) Gets a little ragged for Shamar Joseph: Green off the mark with a run, Khawaja flicks four, then Joseph loses the ball during his load-up and has to try again. His subsequent attempt seams in sharply at Khawaja and goes just past the stumps. Good bowling. And again! Squares up Khawaja utterly, a ball that jumps from the surface and past the outside edge as the batter plays off the back foot.
16th over: Australia 47-2 (Khawaja 24, Green 0) Khawaja is just hanging back, doing his thing as calmly as ever. Wickets, no matter. Bowlers, no matter. Occupies the crease for the whole Roach over, glances two runs from the final ball.
15th over: Australia 45-2 (Khawaja 22, Green 0) Now for the other part of the Australian selection cabinet reshuffle – Cameron Green at No4. He wants time to start slow. Plays his first defensive block to end this over.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Motie b S. Joseph 10, Australia 45-2
Another one goes! Labuschagne has been getting out to the short ball a fair bit lately. Hooks or pulls a lot of the time. Does so here, but it looks like Joseph does him for pace there, a high top edge to fine leg. Motie looks dicey under it, palms above his head, in front of his face, but he manages to hang on.
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14th over: Australia 41-1 (Khawaja 19, Labuschagne 9) Roach now, driven by Labuschagne through the covers for three. Just pushes it really. Khawaja, by contrast, fully extends his arms, through that ball and away for four.
13th over: Australia 34-1 (Khawaja 15, Labuschagne 6) Shamar Joseph carries on, Labuschagne looking to leave wherever possible. Plays when he has to, angled at his pads, and gets a run to the leg side.
12th over: Australia 33-1 (Khawaja 15, Labuschagne 5) Roach is back after a drinks break. Four slips and a backward point. Khawaja picks up a couple of runs from the first ball, flicked.
11th over: Australia 31-1 (Khawaja 13, Labuschagne 5) Finally, something doesn’t go right for Shamar Joseph. He overpitches and Labuschagne shimmers that away through midwicket. Quatro.
10th over: Australia 27-1 (Khawaja 13, Labuschagne 1) It’s double Joseph now, but Khawaja is able to deal with Alzarri, hanging back and nudging away a single when the chance presents. Labuschagne is less sure, nicking one down to fine leg for his first run.
9th over: Australia 25-1 (Khawaja 12, Labuschagne 0) Nice bowling again from Shamar, who sends a ball flying over Labuschagne’s bails. The batter pulls out next ball because of some movement outside the enormous roped-off section of the hill at Adelaide Oval. Right as the bowler was about to launch.
Either way, it’s a wicket maiden to start Test cricket for Shamar Joseph.
WICKET! Smith c Greaves b S. Joseph 12, Australia 25-1
What a day Shamar Joseph is having! A wicket with his first ball in Tests! From memory that club has 22 members – whatever the number is, another has joined. Unbelievable!
Back of a length, good pace and bounce, it jumps a bit at Smith and he fends at the ball angling in. Surprised by it. Slices an outside edge into the gully for a good low catch.
Opening the batting isn’t easy.
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8th over: Australia 25-0 (Smith 12, Khawaja 12) A no-ball from Alzarri Joseph, a nudged Smith single, and the game rolls on.
Here comes the other Joseph, warming up.
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7th over: Australia 23-0 (Smith 11, Khawaja 12) Doesn’t look to be much bounce in this pitch. The ball keeps looping down as it approaches the keeper. When Roach drops short it doesn’t get up, and Khawaja punishes the pull for four. Later, Roach overpitches, and Khawaja drives the long half volley through long off. Plays a sharper ball down off the edge into the gully.
Australia on top already.
6th over: Australia 15-0 (Smith 11, Khawaja 4) Another pull for Smith, but finds mid on. He has one fewer catcher now, a midwicket set square along with a mid on and an extra cover. Smith plays the ball square, the backward point and the gully swoop. Three dot balls, four, but Smith breaks the deadlock by again stepping across and pulling off a length from outside off. That gets him four, well in front of square.
5th over: Australia 11-0 (Smith 7, Khawaja 4) Contrast between the bowlers, Roach is so much shorter and muscular and bustles in. Joseph is tall and lean. Chunky gold chain around Roach’s neck as that stacked cordon waits behind Khawaja, seabirds on a fence rail. Khawaja gives them nothing to feed upon.
4th over: Australia 11-0 (Smith 7, Khawaja 4) A boundary for Smith. Little step across, sees the length is shorter from Alzarri Joseph, tugs the ball around the corner. Very attacking field from Kraigg Braithwaite. Keeper, four slips, gully, point. Two fielders in front of the wicket at vaguely mid on and mid off, with one back at long leg, almost deep backward square. Smith gets two more in that direction, another pull with the ball not very short.
3rd over: Australia 5-0 (Smith 1, Khawaja 4) Full defensive mode now for Khawaja, who sees out the Roach over in that slow-motion unruffled way that he has.
Dropped!
2nd over: Australia 5-0 (Smith 1, Khawaja 4) It’s Pakistan all over again. Alzarri Joseph winds up for maximum effort, fires the ball down, hurries Khawaja, and gets a thick edge that spins up from the bat and down towards the cordon. The wicketkeeper da Silva leans away to his left and must have just not watched the ball closely enough. It hits the heel of his left hand and spills.
1st over: Australia 2-0 (Smith 1, Khawaja 1) Here it is, Steve Smith’s first over as a Test opener. He blocks a couple, then gets his first run in that position. Nudging to midwicket, surprise surprise. Khawaja does similar. Roach the bowler.
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West Indies all out 188 after Australia chose to bowl
62.1 overs: West Indies 188-10 (Roach 17) Job done for Australia, though it took longer than they would have anticipated. Kirk McKenzie played well with an even 50 at first drop. Nobody else did much, until that fine bit of resistance at nine down.
Shamar Joseph with 36 has equalled what Norman Cowens made on debut for England at No11 during the WACA Test of 1982.
Higher scores: Dane Paterson of South Africa made 39 not out, Chamila Gamage made 40 for Sri Lanka, Warwick Armstrong (who was not a true 11, he made six Test hundreds) made 45 not out at the MCG in 1902, and Agar (who wasn’t a true 11) made his famous 98 at Trent Bridge.
That ends up being 55 for the last wicket, which means the West Indies position isn’t as bad as it could be. Still miles short of a good score though.
WICKET! S. Joseph lbw Lyon 36, West Indies 188-10
A Lyon staple to end a fun story. Around the wicket to the left-hander, straightening the ball down the line of the stumps. Hits the pad just below the knee roll, nowhere near the inside edge. Joseph reviews, of course, but it’s a very healthy orange light on the top of leg stump.
62nd over: West Indies 188-9 (Roach 17, S. Joseph 36) This innings grows in stature: Joseph drops and runs a single to cover, from a Cummins length ball. Roach does a fine job of blocking out the rest of the over, great application for all five balls.
Fifty partnership for the last wicket!
61st over: West Indies 187-9 (Roach 17, S. Joseph 35) They’ve only bloody gone and done it. Lyon continues, Roach thumps him over midwicket with three on the fence, and makes it. The crowd applaud. It’s pretty quiet in here right now though. Slog sweep from Roach.
As for Shamar Joseph, there have only been five higher scores by a No11 on debut. (Yes, Ashton Agar is top of the list.)
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60th over: West Indies 181-9 (Roach 11, S. Joseph 35) We’re back, and Joseph is still scoring! Lashes Cummins out through cover for two, then lifts him unconvincingly over mid on with a horizontal bat for two more.
Cathy Freeman is also, unsurprisingly, leading our reader poll for the top 50 Australian sporting moments.
Have a look at David Squires’ drawing, which is a masterwork that nearly broke the great illustrator’s will to carry on.
Good tea break? While thinking about triumphs against the odds, I thought about Cathy Freeman running the 400m at the Stawell Gift with a handicap of over 100 metres.
Tea - West Indies 177 for 9
The Windies last pair has survived the extra half hour. Pakistan’s tail got bowled out from seven down when the half hour was taken in Melbourne not long ago. The team is still in a pretty bad position, but it’s something.
Shamar Joseph has the highest score by a West Indies No11 on debut. The partnership is worth 44.
59th over: West Indies 177-9 (Roach 11, S. Joseph 31) So it’s Lyon vs Joseph. For potentially a full over. This should be interesting. Plays a couple normally, but fourth ball there’s a huge swipe and more luck, the ball scooting past the stumps for three runs.
58th over: West Indies 174-9 (Roach 11, S. Joseph 28) Another step-away from Joseph facing Hazlewood, opens the front leg and swipes through midwicket. Only for one, they have a fielder back now. They had one back when he hit that six, mind you. Roach back on, conventional field, but he gets a run right away, inside edge behind square. The field spreads for the No11, which seems strange to say. Deep long leg, deep backward square, deep forward square, deep point. He finds the deep backward fielder with another meaty slap.
This pair – they’ve almost seen off the extra half hour! They’ve put on 41!
57th over: West Indies 167-9 (Roach 6, S. Joseph 26) Lyon to Roach, who eventually squeezes out a leg bye trying to sweep. Joseph has one ball to face against the spinner, so he leans away to leg and tries to barrel a cross-bat whack through cover. Toe-ends it, and it just falls short of catching cover. Gets a run on the bobble.
56th over: West Indies 165-9 (Roach 6, S. Joseph 25) Backing away, Joseph, and trying to murder the ball from Hazlewood, baseballing at a length again. Misses. But next delivery, the charge is upgraded from attempted murder to the full deal. Slots it waaaay over deep midwicket for six! What a shot that is.
Hazlewood goes full to change it up. Joseph misses his huge drive. Hazlewood switches over the wicket, having been around the wicket so far to the left-hander. Angles across and Joseph pulls anyway, missing by a mile. Then right back next to the off stump goes Josh H, and Joseph leaves!
55th over: West Indies 159-9 (Roach 6, S. Joseph 19) Got a tailender swinging? Get your spinner on. Here comes Lyon, but Roach has the better of it, thumping a boundary over mid on. Why is it so often the lower order making runs where the top order cannot?
54th over: West Indies 155-9 (Roach 2, S. Joseph 19) Hazlewood replaces Starc, and starts bashing away at a length like he never stopped. But Shamar says, that’s too predictable! Second ball of the over, leans back, slams the ball off that length over midwicket for four. Quite the shot. Tee-ball. Then goes again, down the ground! This time he nearly cleans up his batting partner. Shuffles to leg to give himself a touch more room. Roach sees the ball coming at his midriff and has to stick his butt out like he’s in a music video, creating some space for the ball to fly through. The technique works. And now Joseph has the lust for fours, and flings his bat at two short balls without making contact. But connects with the last ball of the over. Backs away and cannons a cut shot through cover! Gets another two. Audacious shot.
53rd over: West Indies 145-9 (Roach 1, S. Joseph 6) We were due for tea then, but the umpires must have extended the session with nine wickets down. Cummins will keep on Cumminsing. Just the two slips with a gully. Two deep for the hook. Short leg for the fend. Mid on, mid off, point, inviting the drive. Roach dead-bats the lot though.
52nd over: West Indies 145-9 (Roach 1, S. Joseph 6) Strong drive from Joseph, over the bowler’s head – wobble seam, I think Starc got a fingertip on that while throwing his hand up for Detroit. Three runs for Joseph #2. Kemar Roach drops a run to square leg and walks through. They’ve put on 10. Joseph ducks a bouncer, which is called wide. Misses a full ball but the yorker misses the leg stump.
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51st over: West Indies 140-9 (Roach 1, S. Joseph 6) Huge swish from Kemar gets him nothing. Cummins hunting another five-for: he took two of them in Melbourne and one in Sydney. Doesn’t get it here, though, his slips remain unfed.
50th over: West Indies 140-9 (Roach 1, S. Joseph 6) This batting caper is easy. Shamar Joseph gets a full ball on his pads and clips it nicely for four. Midwicket. Starc makes him hop once or twice… then that’s nasty. I retract, it’s not easy. Shamar gets grilled, as in smashed in the grille, leaning away from a short ball, trying to limbo it, but unable to dodge the rising ball. It seems the contact was mostly upwards, pushing the helmet up rather than making his skull rattle. He carries on, tries an uppercut but misses.
49th over: West Indies 136-9 (Roach 1, S. Joseph 2) One Joseph replaces another, with Shamar at 11 taking over from Alzarri at 8. Kemar Roach is already out there, having replaced Motie. The last pair find three singles basically by holding the bat in the way of the ball. Might want to suggest that to a few colleagues.
WICKET! Joseph c Smith b Cummins 14, West Indies 133-9
These wickets don’t seem worth the exclamation marks. Perhaps Joseph thinks, why am I applying myself here when everyone else is throwing the bat? He sees a ball way back of a length but plays a back-foot punch, on the up. Unsurprisingly Cummins gets some deck and moves it enough to take the edge to second slip. Another one for Smith’s bank of catches.
WICKET! Motie c Lyon b Starc 1, West Indies 133-8
48th over: West Indies 133-8 (Joseph 14) Starc to Motie, three slips, gully, point, and after he faces four balls with confidence, Starc brings in a short leg to try getting in the batter’s head. And it works! The fifth ball is short but down leg, easy to avoid. The sixth though is fuller, at the leg stump, but Motie is already on the move to the leg side, backing away, so he hacks at the ball but only corkscrews it up and down to point.
47th over: West Indies 133-7 (Joseph 14, Motie 1) Gudakesh Motie, a left-hander, is next to the middle. Nudges a run square first ball.
WICKET! da Silva c Head b Cummins 6, West Indies 132-7
Gee, that’s pretty weak. Cummins has a few out for the short ball, not the full barrage field but a deep square leg and a fine leg with a midwicket. Joshua da Silva plays a pull anyway, edges it behind square, and is fortunate to see it land safe. So how does he respond? Plays another one, and this time hits it straight to deep square leg. Good catch leaning forward. But still. Why play the shot? He did roll the wrists a bit but didn’t gauge the bounce.
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46th over: West Indies 130-6 (Da Silva 4, Joseph 14) Starc comes on, and Joseph will keep swinging. Fresh air shot first ball, driving straight. Then another fresh air shot, but this one gets his team four. It swings down the leg side, isn’t hit, and swings away from Carey for byes. Joseph gets more serious and starts blocking for a while, but last ball of the over he plays a purring shot! Cover drive, down on one knee, a touch of width on the full ball, and Alzarri puts it away.
45th over: West Indies 122-6 (Da Silva 4, Joseph 10) Hello gang. Lovely day here in Adelaide. Sun is sprawled across the ground like a contended cat. Must be a few of those basking in it somewhere. Josh de Silva finally opens his bank for the day, driving Cummins nicely through cover for four. Then nails a pull shot but the fielder at square leg does very well to snatch it and prevent not just a boundary but any run at all.
44th over: West Indies 118-6 (Da Silva 0, Joseph 10) Hazlewood returns to earth, driven by new batter Alzarri Joseph drives for three down the ground and then edges for four through slips. Seven off the over! On that weird note, I’ll hand over to Geoff Lemon who’ll steer you home to stumps. Thanks for your company and see you on the morrow!
43rd over: West Indies 112-6 (Da Silva 0, Joseph 4) Lyon’s eighth over is a quiet one as Da Silva and Joseph grapple with the gravity of 112-6.
42nd over: West Indies 108-6 (Da Silva 0, Joseph 1) Alzarri Joseph gets off the mark with a single as Lee Henderson writes in to reminisce:
“Afternoon Angus, The last time I saw ‘McKenzie’ on a scoreboard it was Boxing day 1968 and his nickname was ‘Garth’ and he wasn’t half bad having taken 8 fer 71 against a West Indian side that was coming off the heady days of the late 50’s early 60’s sides. The Windies of that era were entering the doldrums and rebuilding phase that eventually led to Clive Lloyd and, ultimately, world dominance.”
Well said, Lee! I’m only sorry for you, the crowd (and most of all the West Indies) that Mr McKenzie couldn’t remain on the scorecard for longer. Alas, he’s now back in the pavilion with five of his teammates.
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WICKET! Greaves c Labuschagne b Hazlewood 5 (West Indies 108-6)
Hazlewood has four! Greaves played a panicked drive at another peach on a length and Labuschagne plucked it out of the air for a fine catch at mid off. Hazlewood now has 8-30 in his last 20 overs in Test cricket. Incredible!
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41st over: West Indies 107-5 (Greaves 5, Da Silva 0) As 25-year-old keeper Joshua Da Silva gets to grips with the rescue job in front of him, Lyon turns the screws with another tight over.
40th over: West Indies 107-5 (Greaves 4, Da Silva 0) The Windies are really wobbling now. Hazlewood has three wickets, Australia have five and two new batters are at the crease facing the greatest bowling cartel in cricket. Hazlewood finishes with a wicket maiden and the adoring roars of the Adelaide crowd ringing in his ears.
WICKET! McKenzie c Carey b Hazlewood 50 (West Indies 107-5)
Hazlewood does it again! This time it’s the danger man Kirk McKenzie who falls. He’d been softened up on the first delivery which struck him a painful blow on the inside thigh. Smelling blood, Hazlewood put the third delivery back of length and in the corridor of uncertainty. McKenzies followed it and feathered an edge behind to give the Hoff 3-14. A good innings ends, Australia have five wickets and are moving in for a quick kill on day one.
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39th over: West Indies 107-4 (McKenzie 50, Greaves) Lyon gets lift-off! It was a fat full toss and it got the punishment it deserved as McKenzie lifted it over the infield and down the ground for FOUR. Great shot and a single off the next ball brings up a fine half-century for the Jamaican No 3. And now another full toss gets Greaves off the mark with a crisp cover drive.
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38th over: West Indies 98-4 (McKenzie 45, Greaves 0) Hazlewood snagged a wicket from his first delivery… and almost got another on the second! New batter Justin Greaves got a big inside edge on it and narrowly missed his leg stump. Another promising partnership fizzles for the visitors.
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WICKET! Hodge c Green b Hazlewood 12 (West Indies 98-4)
Hazlewood strikes! And again it’s a lovely catch from Cameron Green at gully. Hodge’s confidence was up after that last over and he took on Hazlewood’s first ball with a big step down. But the Hoff had his measure, putting it full and wide and drawing the edge. It flew quickly but Green went left and snaffled it easily. Australia back on top in Adelaide.
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37th over: West Indies 98-3 (McKenzie 45, Hodge 12) Lyon returns but the runs come from the get-go, McKenzie clipping a single off his toes and Hodge driving a loose one for three. Good batting.
36th over: West Indies 98-3 (McKenzie 44, Hodge 9) As predicted by Sam Cooke, Al Green (and me last over), a change is gonna come. Now it has. Cummins takes a spell and throws the ball to Hazlewood. But the result is the same. McKenzie carves him past Lyon on the off-side for a cracking boundary. He then takes a single on the last to keep strike for the next.
35th over: West Indies 89-3 (McKenzie 39, Hodge 9) Sweet shot! Green delivered a fast half-volley on middle stump and Hodge cashed in, punching it past the bowler for an excellent boundary. Green rallies on the third, beating the batter for pace and thumping it into the back pad. A shout rings out but the umpire quickly shakes his head. A fast bouncer puts Hodge on his heels. It grazes the helmet grille but the batter’s technique was sound, he squatted in time and his eyes never left it.
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34th over: West Indies 85-3 (McKenzie 39, Hodge 5) Cummins comes again but these two batters have his measure for the moment. McKenzie drives sweetly at the second but straight to a fielder. The fourth draws a deflection that earns the batter two runs. There’s a rare keeping error from Carey on the last delivery as the ball fails to carry into his gloves, running away for four byes. Might be time for a change-up, eh Pat?
33rd over: West Indies 79-3 (McKenzie 37, Hodge 5) Green is starting to nudge 140kph in his third over. He’s putting them on a length at good pace but there’s not a lot of threat so he tosses a bumper ball in on the fifth. Hodge sways easily out of its path and lets a maiden play out.
32nd over: West Indies 79-3 (McKenzie 37, Hodge 5) With seven runs from Green’s over, McKenzie has passed his highest Test score of 32 and faces up to Cummins’ ninth over with 37 from 59 deliveries. Promising signs but the skipper squares him up and beats him on the fifth ball. There’s a shout from keeper Carey but no one else. Cummins doesn’t look convinced but he decides to review anyway. It’s a poor call. Replays show you could fit a fist through the gap between McKenzie’s bat and the ball.
31st over: West Indies 79-3 (McKenzie 37, Hodge 5) Green gets a second over. This is the 24-year-old’s first Test since being dropped on last year’s Ashes tour after he failed to reach 50 in eight innings. Mitch Marsh has performed beautifully in Green’s stead but now the rivals line up together for the first time in the XI. Kirk McKenzie likes Green almost as much as the Australian selectors, slashing his fourth ball over slips before hammering another three with a drive through covers.
30th over: West Indies 72-3 (McKenzie 30, Hodge 5) Close by Cummins! McKenzie stepped out and swatted at it but he was badly beaten for pace and the ball ended up sailing just a milimetre over the off stump. Oohs and aahs from all. McKenzie then survives another miscue from the fourth delivery to run two. A single on the fifth closes it out.
29th over: West Indies 68-3 (McKenzie 26, Hodge 5) Cameron Green enters the attack. The recalled allrounder already has a great catch against his name in this Test, now he’s looking to add to his 30 Test scalps. He beats McKenzie with a 138kph zinger before the batter returns serve, working him away for a single. Green switches his lengths to Hodge before throwing in a bouncer. Easily ducked by the batter and no more runs from the over.
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28th over: West Indies 68-3 (McKenzie 26, Hodge 5) And we’re back! Pat Cummins has the Kookaburra in his hand and this Test by the scruff of the neck. He starts his seventh over with 2-17 and Kavem Hodge is in his sights. A late Test debutant at age 30, Hodge hails from the tiny island of Dominica but he’s been to Adelaide before – as the youngest-ever full member of the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy (and its first West Indian scholar). He certainly seems at ease with conditions, playing what is arguably the shot of the day to bang Pat Cummins no less through covers to the boundary.
Although this one runs a tight second...
In the pre-iPhone days, I took my grandfather’s trusty old transistor radio to the Big Day Out festival in Sydney that day and, as the final overs played out, I swear even the Cosmic Psychos turned their amps down to hear how it ended.
In their 94-year and 119-Test rivalry, Australia and West Indies have fought out some famous cricketing battles but none greater than Test cricket’s inaugural Tied Test in 1960-61…
LUNCH: West Indies are 64 for 3 on day one of the first Test
A tough first session for the visitors, losing three top-order wickets for just 64 runs. Australia’s elite bowlers delivered their customary vim and vitality, Cummins crashing through the opening batters before Josh Hazlewood’s class claimed a third wicket, his 250th in Tests, just before the break.
There are bright signs for the West Indies though. Impressive No 3 Kirk McKenzie is unbeaten on 26 and looking good in his second Test and Kavem Hodge at the crease in his Test debut looking to continue the dazzling form that earned him 52 and 99 in the tour game last week.
With this Adelaide pitch settling down, both young West Indies batters keen to attack and Australia’s bowlers unlikely to relent, we have an exciting second session ahead of us under sunny skies in Adelaide.
Grab a bite and we’ll be back in halfa.
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27th over: West Indies 64-3 (McKenzie 26, Hodge 1) Nicely drive for three by McKenzie. Cummins dived to stop the boundary but they get three. It brings the first Test runs for debutant Kavem Hodge as he jumps to squirt Starc down legside for a single. Those early clouds have burned off and we’re now playing in bright Adelaide sunshine. And things get even brighter for the West Indies as McKenzie rises onto his toes to hammer Starc over the covers for a lovely FOUR from the final ball of the session. Good note to go to lunch on for the visitors!
26th over: West Indies 56-3 (McKenzie 19, Hodge 0) Hazlewood’s wicket ices a marvellous career so far – 250 wickets from 67 Tests at under 26. Great stats by the big fella who, at age 33, is now into his tenth season in the baggy green. He can’t add another to the tally, putting another six on a handkerchief without leaking a run.
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25th over: West Indies 56-3 (McKenzie 19, Hodge 0) Cummins going for the jugular before lunch! With the West Indies three-down and reeling and a new batter at the crease, the benign charms of The Bison are put out to pasture and the demonic delights of Mitchell Starc are again unleashed. And ALMOST A CATCH! McKenzie flashed at the final ball and it sprayed square just over a leaping Nathan Lyon.
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24th over: West Indies 52-3 (McKenzie 17, Athanaze 13) The West Indies batters were finding the middle of the bat (albeit not the gaps in the field) and restoring this innings nicely until Hazlewood struck. It brings debutant Kavem Hodge to the wicket after his excellent display in last week’s tune-up, where he followed up a fifty in the first dig with a 99 in the second
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WICKET! Athanaze bowled Hazlewood 13 (West Indies 52-3)
Hazlewood gets his 25oth Test wicket! And it’s a characteristically sublime delivery that achieves the feat. Athanaze saw it floating past the off stump channel and didn’t commit to a stroke but Hazlewood had deceived him, angled it back and clipped the top of off stump. Poor leave by the batter but beautiful bowling by The Hoff.
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23rd over: West Indies 52-2 (McKenzie 15, Athanaze 13) Driven for FOUR by McKenzie! Wonderful shot by the West Indies first drop to a ball Marsh floated at piffling pace right into the batter’s strike zone. The run-rate has climbed now above two-per-over as the visitors slowly claw things back.
22nd over: West Indies 47-2 (McKenzie 11, Athanaze 13) Cummins resists the temptation to have his West Australian allrounders wheel away from either end and brings his NSW teammate Hazlewood back into the attack. Athanaze isn’t cowed. He steps out again and strikes one for two past Labuschagne who appears to have injured a finger in the fielding attempt. Matt Renshaw will run on as cover as the No 3 seeks treatment.
21st over: West Indies 45-2 (McKenzie 11, Athanaze 11) Bring on the Bison! That was the cry from the spectators. And so it has proved as Mitchell Marsh, now one of two hulking West Australian alrounders in this XI, gets his first spell of the day. He’s on the money early but so are the batters, banging balls away at will but, to their chagrin, always to fielders.
20th over: West Indies 45-2 (McKenzie 11, Athanaze 11) Interesting first 20 overs. The opening batters survived their duel with the opening bowlers but first-change Captain Fantastic Pat Cummins proved the difference again, removing both top-order men with brilliant bowling. Now, with two younger batters at the crease, we have the first whiffs of a counter-attack. Three well-struck runs from this Cummins over as this partnership builds nicely.
19th over: West Indies 42-2 (McKenzie 10, Athanaze 9) Lyon can’t find the turn he wants yet and the young batters are playingh him confidently, cracking a few but so far failing to pierce the field. A maiden ensues.
18th over: West Indies 36-2 (McKenzie 10, Athanaze 9) Good shot young man! Athanaze steps down to Cummins and confidently cracks him down the ground. Doesn’t time it as sweetly as he’d like but gets two. McKenzie picks up the clue phone and lashes Cummins for another two from the last.
17th over: West Indies 36-2 (McKenzie 8, Athanaze 5) Lyon resumes for a third over. Athanaze is a pupil of the great Brian Lara and arrives in Australia with a reputation as a clean sgtriker of the ball. He showed good signs in that last over, hoiking the Australian captain off his eyebrows. It continues the bright start to his career since his impressive 47 on debut last year.
16th over: West Indies 36-2 (McKenzie 8, Athanaze 5) New batter is Alick Athanaze, a left-handed batting alrounder from Dominica. This is his third Test and he has 112 runs at 37 from his first three innings. Make that 115 as he takes on a short ball from Cummins and hooks it for three. Good shot and a sign that these two batters are going to take on the Australian attack.
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15th over: West Indies 31-2 (McKenzie 8, Athanaze 0) Counter attack! McKenzie steps down to Lyon and whacks him down the ground for four. The big Jamaican cites Chris Gayle as his cricketing hero and that was Gayle Force at it’s best – brave, powerful, entertaining. Good batting by the 23-year-old in his second Test.
14th over: West Indies 27-2 (McKenzie 4, Athanaze 0) Having proven his mortality with an attempted inswinger that went for four byes, Cummins restored his reputation in style very next ball, removing Kraigg Brathwaite with a beautiful delivery that nipped back and made a mess of the West Indies skipper’s stumps. Perfect delivery by Captain Pat and West Indies in early trouble.
WICKET! Brathwaite bowled Cummins 13 (West Indies 27-2)
Cummins strikes again as captain dismisses captain. His fourth ball was the worst of his career – a wide so wide even keeper Carey couldn’t get to it. But it was a trap. The fifth ball was a peach, fast and full and it crashed through Brathwaite’s defences and shattered middle and off stumps.
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13th over: West Indies 23-1 (Brathwaite 13, McKenzie 4) Nathan Lyon enters the attack. If anyone can unriddle an Adelaide pitch in mid-January it’s a former groundskeeper at the ground with 500 wickets now to his name. Sixty of those have come here at Adelaide Oval at an average of 25.9. Few signs of spin so far but Lyon adds a maiden to that impressive record.
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12th over: West Indies 23-1 (Brathwaite 13, McKenzie 4) Having secured the breakthrough his opening bowlers couldn’t achieve, Cummins returns for a second over. He has the ball moving into the lefthander, banging them in at 136kph. Brathwaite steps out tentatively to the fourth ball and taps it square for a boundary. Valuable runs for the West Indies but not convincing and Cummins knows it. He jags the next one back and the batter is lucky to get an inside edge before it thumps into his pads.
11th over: West Indies 19-1 (Brathwaite 9, McKenzie 4) Finally a run! It’s a squeaky single by the skipper off Starc after 31 dot balls. Cameron Green is still grinning after plucking that edge from the sky at gully. He is averaging one catch per Test now and already has pundits naming him among Australia’s greatest gully fielders. Kirk McKenzie gets himself off the mark with a flicked four off his pads. This kid can bat…
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WICKET! Chanderpaul c Green b Cummins 6 (West Indies 14-1)
Cummins does it again! After 30 scoreless balls, he draws Chanderpaul across and back. But the batter is pinned in the crease and reaches too far and catches a big edge. It’s a beautiful flying catch to big Cameron Green in the gully. Great ball, great catch!
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10th over: West Indies 14-0 (Brathwaite 8, Chanderpaul 6) Here comes Cummins! With the scoreboard going nowhere but no breakthroughs yet, the Australian captain has taken the ball. He has a habit of making things happen…
9th over: West Indies 14-0 (Brathwaite 8, Chanderpaul 6) This Adelaide Oval is so green it looks like painted tartan. So far it’s provided a little more early in-swing for Mitchell Starc but a little less pace. That inswing gets Brathwaite hopping. He knows how to bat long periods does the skipper. He has 12 Test centuries to his name at 34.8 but 29 fifties so a low conversion rate. He can’t find a run this over either. That’s five consecutive maidens!
8th over: West Indies 14-0 (Brathwaite 8, Chanderpaul 6) Hazlewood rumbles in for a fourth over. Unlike his new-ball buddy Starc, who relies on pace and swing, Hazlewood’s game is accuracy and guile. He delivers it in spades in this over to ensure another maiden and 25 consecutive dot balls.
7th over: West Indies 14-0 (Brathwaite 8, Chanderpaul 6) A thick edge! But it doesn’t carry to new first slipper Usman Khawaja. Starc shot it in straight and Brathwaite stepped out with an indecisive stroke that caught a healthy edge that fell short of both Alex Carey and Khawaja. With David Warner retired, this is a new look catching cordon. Steve Smith is at second slip, with Mitch Marsh moving into third and Cameron ‘Buckethands’ Green in his usual gully spot. That’s a third consecutive maiden. The openers have survived the first half hour but they’re pinned down and living dangerously.
6th over: West Indies 14-0 (Brathwaite 8, Chanderpaul 6) Chanderpaul resumes against Hazlewood. His stance isn’t pretty, very front-on with a backfoot pointing at square leg and a front foot that has to flash a long way across to meet the pitch of the ball. It’s not quite the bizarre crabby crouch that won his father a Test average over 50, but it’s definitely not one out of the coaching handbook either. Pretty or nay, it doesn’t yield runs. Another maiden.
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5th over: West Indies 14-0 (Brathwaite 8, Chanderpaul 6) Starc is in good rhythm now, sending his third over in at 144kph and he draws a jumping jab of a defensive stroke from Brathwaite which whistles past the edge. It unnerves him sufficiently to ensure a maiden plays out.
4th over: West Indies 14-0 (Brathwaite 8, Chanderpaul 6) More luck! Hazlewood angled an inswinger into Brathwaite and it caught an inside edge, just missing the stumps and skidding away for another lucky boundary. Good bowling by the Bendemeer Bullet! Brathwaite flicks a single off the pads to run a single. Big shout for lbw on the final ball but no one’s interetested beyond Hazlewood, least of all the umpires.
3rd over: West Indies 9-0 (Brathwaite 3, Chanderpaul 6) Starc gets Brathwaite hopping with the first but sprays the second down legside. He connects handsomely with a drive down the ground to the third and it Labuschagne hauls it in under just shy of the rope at the scoreboard. Chanderpaul tries to leave the next one but too late! It catches the descending blade, flies off the toe of the bat and balloons over slips for a streaky four. He’s smiling about it but that could have been disastrous.
2nd over: West Indies 2-0 (Brathwaite 0, Chanderpaul 2) Chanderpaul gets his chance now against Josh Hazlewood and he prods at a straight second ball and works it fine for two runs to open his, and his side’s, account. Chanderpaul is of course a name very familiar to Australian cricket fans. His father Shivnarine played 164 Tests for West Indies and scored 30 centuries. His 27-year-old son has played just 8 Tests but has a double century to his name already. He’d love to do his Dad proud today. No more runs from this over.
1st over: West Indies 0-0 (Brathwaite 0, Chanderpaul 0) Starc wafts the first few full and fast past the off stump. Early signs of in-swing here so little wonder 88-Test veteran Braithwaite watches the first four fly by until stepping down for the Test’s first contact between willow and leather. Given Starc’s record for striking in the first over, that sedate maiden over is an early win for the tourists.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have the pads on and are walking out into the middle. Mitchell Starc has the new ball in his big mitts at the Cathedral End. It’s the first time since 1980-81 Australia has won the toss and opted to bowl so Pat Cummins continues to defy convention with his victories at the toss. Here we go…
The teams are on the field for the anthems and there’s a healthy Adelaide crowd standing reverently for the Welcome to Country from Kaurna Nation man Karl Winder Tefler. Cloudy skies overhead but they’ll burn off quick I fancy. New No 4 Cameron Green is grinning like a kid at Christmas as he gets his huge wingspan around his teammates for Advance Australia Fair.
Interesting call from Pat Cummins to bowl when history dictates you don the pads first at the traditional batting paradise of Adelaide. That decision seems to have been made after a glance at the lavish greenery on the centre square and curator Damian Hough’s promise of a fast and bouncy pitch
Of course this Adelaide Test is being played a few weeks later than usual. Since 1998, Adelaide has hosted Test cricket in November or December with one exception and it has been a day-night Test since 2015. However, the Gabba in Brisbane has the honour of the pink ball Test this year so Adelaide has a January Test. How will that affect this wicket I wonder?
“We know that in January the evaporation is higher, so the temperatures are higher and we know it will dry out more,” Hough said in the lead-up. “From the curators’ side of things, you get the real baking (which) should get it really rock hard which hopefully equates to better pace in the pitch than you would get in a November Test match.”
If true, Australia’s bowlers could cause carnage in this first session. But it might also prove a boon to West Indies speedster Shamar Joseph, who gave the speed gun a few scares during the Cricket Australia XI warm-up.
Here’s how the XIs will line up…
Australia 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Steven Smith, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood
West Indies 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Kirk McKenzie, 4 Alick Athanaze, 5 Kavem Hodge, 6 Justin Greaves, 7 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 8 Alzarri Joseph, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Gudakesh Motie, 11 Shamar Joseph
Three Test debutants for the visitors in Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves and Shamar Joseph. They each received their Test caps this morning from West Indies batting great Brian Lara and former quick Ian Bishop. “I want to lead from the front and let these guys follow,” says captain Braithwaite.
Good luck to them all.
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Australia have won the toss and will bowl
Pat Cummins calls correctly and opts to unleash his pace attack on this raw West Indies batting line up. Interestingly, captain Kraigg Brathwaite says he would have batted first anyway so everyone’s happy.
Preamble
Greetings cricket fans! Welcome to Adelaide for the Guardian’s over-by-over coverage of the first Test in this two-match series between Australia and West Indies for the famous Frank Worrell Trophy. Angus Fontaine here to steer you through the opening sessions with Geoff Lemon taking you to stumps.
This will be the 119th Test fought out by these two mighty cricket nations. Of the 118 clashes since 1930-31, Australia have won 60 and West Indies 32, with 25 draws and one famous tie in 1960-61, the first in Test cricket history and a contest (and series) still considered by Wisden the G.O.A.T.
That breathtaking, crowdpleasing showdown was widely lauded for reinventing Test cricket for the modern age. Although Australia won it, West Indies got their revenge in 1964-65, their first ever series win over Australia and the spark for the era of dominance that followed. The men from the Caribbean would win every Frank Worrell Trophy from 1977 until May 1995, when Steve Waugh’s double-century (and twin Mark’s 126) at Sabina Park, Kingston won back an ascendancy Australia have held ever since.
This West Indies side isn’t expected to reclaim those former glories. They arrived in Australia ranked eighth in the world and with seven uncapped players in their squad of 15 (and only four survivors from the series they lost 2-0 last summer). But cool cat captain Kraigg Brathwaite and fast bowling deputy Alzarri Joseph deputy have great faith in veteran quick Kemar Roach and high hopes for a fresh-faced batting lineup that showed great promise in their warm-up game last week.
Pat Cummins’ Australians arrive in Adelaide hot from their 3-0 sweep of Pakistan and still aglow from the feats of 2023 – an Ashes retention, victory in the World Test Championship and winning the ODI World Cup. However, it’s a fresh start for them too, with this the first Test in the post-David Warner era. Matthew Renshaw comes into the squad, Cameron Green is recalled to bat at No 4 and Steve Smith adds a new feather to his baggy green by stepping up as opening batter for the first time.
So there’s intrigue aplenty and an exciting day lies ahead of us. It’s been hot, damn hot, in Adelaide. But the forecast today is for sunshine, clear skies and temperatures in the low-to-mid twenties. Perfect weather for cricket and a glorious stage for this Test at the beautiful Adelaide Oval.
Buckle ‘em up and batten ‘em down. We’ll be back with the teams and coin toss shortly…
