The first Test between the West Indies and Australia hangs in the balance after another dramatic day in Bridgetown, with fast bowlers from both sides showing their class.
After the hosts were bowled out for 190 to secure a narrow first-innings lead, the West Indies quicks ripped through Australia’s inexperienced top order during the evening session, leaving the contest on a knife’s edge.
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Australia is 4-92 at stumps, leading by just 82 runs, with all-rounder Beau Webster (19*) and vice-captain Travis Head (13*) unbeaten in the middle.
The match will resume on Saturday at 12am AEST.
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HOPE SHINES AFTER FOUR-YEAR ABSENCE
It had been four years since Shai Hope last represented the West Indies in the Test arena before this week’s match in Bridgetown.
Having averaged 18.72 from his previous 23 Tests, passing fifty just twice in 44 knocks, the Bajan batter stepped away from the Test format in late 2021 and turned his focus towards white-ball cricket.
Hope has since become an integral member of the West Indies’ white-ball teams, captaining both sides while also featuring in several T20 leagues, including the Indian Premier League and Big Bash League.
However, as part of the West Indies’ recent batting reboot, Hope was recalled for the Frank Worrell Trophy campaign against Australia, a selection call based purely on potential — he was even reportedly considered for the captaincy.
During an interview with ESPNcricinfo ahead of the Barbados match, Hope confessed that Test cricket wasn’t a priority for him, but vowed to give his all regardless.
“I believe if I’m doing something, I’m committed to it,” he said.
Following a tidy performance with the gloves on day one, Hope walked to the crease on Thursday morning with the West Indies in a spot of bother at 5-74, still trailing by 108 runs.
The stylish right-hander immediately put pressure back on the bowlers by cracking consecutive boundaries against Mitchell Starc — a full-blooded cover drive and an elegant punch down the ground.
Hope struck 15 runs from his first 12 deliveries before dropping anchor, combining with captain Roston Chase for a 67-run partnership for the sixth wicket to swing the pendulum back in the West Indies’ favour.
“Hope is a class player,” Chase told reporters on Tuesday.
“He has a lot of experience in the international arena. He’s also the captain in the white-ball format. I’m just looking for him to lead by example as a senior player and someone that I can lean on in pressure situations and to help me lead the troops in being a competitive Test team.”
Hope was later dismissed by all-rounder Beau Webster for a team-high 48 — albeit in dubious circumstances. Regardless, the West Indies will be eager for the 31-year-old to establish himself as a regular member of the Test side and convert his ODI form into the red-ball format — he averages 49.32 in ODIs, but 25.01 in Tests.
Speaking on commentary, former West Indies bowler Ian Bishop suggested that Hope had been vulnerable to short-pitched bowling early in his Test career — but he showed no such concerns at Kensington Oval on Thursday.
“This is another opportunity on his return to find out whether he has conquered that, and he can bring some of that 50-over form into Test cricket,” Bishop said.
“He’s a top person, hard-working, intelligent, focused, and understands the big picture.”
‘JURY’S STILL OUT’ ON STRUGGLING GREEN
Former Australian batter Greg Blewett has doubled down on his criticism of the underperforming Cameron Green, questioning whether he deserves his spot in the Test side following another failure with the willow.
The West Australian has posted scores of 9, 0, 3 and 15 since making his long-awaited return to the Test side this month, caught in the slips cordon on all four occasions.
On day two of the Bridgetown Test, Green flashed at a wide delivery from West Indies seamer Justin Greaves, with the thick outside edge finding rival captain Roston Chase at slip.
Despite looking more proactive during the second innings, his reckless dismissal gave the West Indies the upper hand at stumps.
Having previously declared that Green shouldn’t be batting at first drop, Blewett has now suggested the 26-year-old could be at risk of slipping out of the starting XI altogether when superstar Steve Smith returns from injury.
“For me, the jury’s still out whether he’s good enough when he’s not bowling to bat in the top six, let alone at No. 3,” Blewett said on Thursday.
“He’s immensely talented, he’s very well thought of, but I think he’s getting to that stage in his career where the output probably needs to lift.
“He finds himself at No. 3, but it’s been a torrid start in that position.”
Green, who cracked an unbeaten century against New Zealand in Wellington last year, has already proven that he’s capable of match-winning performances in the Test arena — but he’s running out of chances to cement his spot in the first-choice starting XI.
As fellow all-rounder Beau Webster continues to take wickets and make contributions with the bat, the Tasmanian is creating a middle-order squeeze that could work against Green.
CUMMINS SURPASSES AUSSIE LEGEND
Australian skipper Pat Cummins was at his relentless best during the West Indies first innings at Kensington Oval, rarely straying in line and length.
The right-armed quick dismissed Keacy Carty on day one before removing rival captain Roston Chase on Thursday afternoon, finishing with commendable figures of 2-34 from 18 overs. He only conceded 1.98 runs per over across the innings.
During day two in Bridgetown, Cummins went past the legendary Richie Benaud to become Australia’s leading wicket-taker among Test captains. Only one cricketer is ahead of Cummins on the overall tally — former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan.
When Cummins was handed the captaincy in late 2021, concerns arose about whether the added leadership would impact his bowling. However, nearly four years later, the New South Welshman is averaging 22.84 with the ball as Test captain.
“They often say that fast bowlers don’t make good captains. I’ve never heard such bias in my life,” former West Indies bowler Ian Bishop said in commentary.
“I think fast-bowling captains know how to handle their bowlers best.”
Former West Indies seamer Shakeera Selman continued: “Some captains will under-bowl themselves, wanting to give opportunities to other players.
“But Cummins has been so good across his career. He knows he’s key to this Australian side. He knows he’s the man who has to bowl lots of overs.”
Most wickets among Test captains
187 — Imran Khan (PAK)
139 – Pat Cummins (AUS)
138 – Richie Benaud (AUS)
117 — Garry Sobers (WI)
116 — Daniel Vettori (NZ)
KONSTAS FAILS AGAIN IN ‘TOUGH INITIATION’
Sam Konstas’ latest audition as Australia’s Test opener hasn’t gone to plan.
The teenager failed to survive the opening spell of West Indies seamer Shamar Joseph in each innings at Kensington Oval, dismissed for single figures on both occasions.
Truth be told, Joseph got the better of Konstas four times across the match, with the West Indies dropping two chances in the slips cordon on Thursday.
After being trapped on the pads in the first innings for 3, Konstas attempted to negate the LBW threat on day two by charging down the pitch at Joseph, reminiscent of his Boxing Day blitz against India last summer. However, the young New South Welshman only managed a thick edge towards third slip, where John Campbell put down a regulation catch.
Konstas was dropped again two deliveries later, on this occasion while attempting a forward defence.
It took the right-hander 14 deliveries to get off the mark — he was hesitant and cautious with the willow, managing just two scoring shots from 38 deliveries.
Konstas’ dismissal was soft, tentatively prodding at a length delivery with the bottom edge ricocheting into the stumps, gone for 5. The technical frailties that Joseph exposed on day one remain a genuine cause for concern.
“He really struggled today,” Blewett said at stumps.
“Just couldn’t really get going at all.
“It’s a young man just starting out in his career, and he’s learning on the go, but that was a bit of a tough initiation today.”
Since his whirlwind debut Test knock at the MCG, Konstas has posted scores of 8, 23, 22, 3 and 5.
With experienced opener Cameron Bancroft cracking another century in the County Championship this week, the 19-year-old could be under pressure to keep his spot in the Test side ahead of the home Ashes campaign.
‘THIS IS UNLIKE THEM’: AUSSIE FIELDING WOES
For decades, Australia has been the sport’s standard-bearers in the field, but Pat Cummins’ men were far from their best on day two of the Bridgetown Test.
The most obvious misdemeanour came from wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who put down a regulation chance with the gloves early in the day. West Indies debutant Brandon King, who was unbeaten on 23 at the time, flashed at a wide delivery from Josh Hazlewood during the fifth over of the day, with the thick outside edge sailing towards Carey‘s right.
With his gloves awkwardly positioned, the South Australian bottled the catch, with Usman Khawaja almost grabbing the rebound at first slip.
Later in the morning session, veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon created another chance when West Indies captain Roston Chase rocked back and edged past first slip, narrowly evading Khawaja’s outstretched hand.
Australian teenager Sam Konstas also missed a half-chance at short leg, albeit it was far from regulation.
“We know Australia to be a team that is very efficient in the field,” former West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite said in commentary.
“This is unlike them.”
However, Carey redeemed himself in the afternoon session with a stunning one-handed effort, lunging low to his left to remove West Indies wicketkeeper Shai Hope — albeit with some debate on whether the catch was clean.
