The fast bowlers dominated day one of the Frank Worrell Trophy series opener in Bridgetown, with the West Indies and Australian quicks collectively taking 14 wickets in frantic scenes.
After Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first at Kensington Oval, the tourists were rolled for 180 courtesy of a blistering spell from Gabba hero Shamar Joseph (4-46), who received support from fellow seamer Jayden Seales (5-60).
West Indies vs Australia Test & T20I Series | Watch every ball LIVE with ESPN, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer >
However, Australia’s world-class bowling cartel wreaked havoc in the evening session, with the West Indies in a spot of bother at 4-57 at stumps, still trailing by 123 runs.
The first Test between the West Indies and Australia will resume on Friday at 12am AEST.
READ MORE
MATCH REPORT: Aussie bowlers flip Test on its head
‘THAT WON’T GO DOWN WELL’: Windies star denied crucial wicket
‘HE HAS STRUGGLED’: KONSTAS’ GLARING FLAW REMAINS
Ahead of the West Indies tour, Sam Konstas acknowledged there were some technical deficiencies in his batting that needed rectifying.
Last summer, the teenage opener established himself as one of Australian cricket’s rising stars with twin Sheffield Shield hundreds and a whirlwind Test debut at the MCG.
But despite his rapid ascent through the ranks, Konstas has on several occasions been bowled or trapped LBW by in-duckers that evaded the inside edge, an issue that had plagued him across the last 18 months.
In an attempt to solve the problem, Konstas tinkered with his batting stance ahead of the Caribbean tour, with his front foot placed outside leg stump during the bowler’s run-up.
“I’ve been working on a few things with my front foot, opening it up slightly to get better access,” Konstas told cricket.com.au last week.
“It just helps work on my defence, as I felt there may be a slight weakness in that.”
However, despite the technical change, Konstas’ dreaded Achilles heel returned on day one of the series opener in Barbados, beaten on the inside edge and trapped on the pads by seamer Shamar Joseph for 3. West Indies captain Roston Chase called for a review after umpire Nitin Menon ignored appeals for LBW, with three red lights appearing on Hawkeye.
The West Indies had done their homework — as acknowledged by former Test bowler Ian Bishop in commentary, the wicket was almost identical to Konstas’ dismissal during last year’s Under-19 World Cup final, when he was bowled through the gate by Indian seamer Raj Limbani.
“It’s quite obvious that there’s been some planning into some weak areas of one or two Australian batters,” Bishop explained.
“The Sam Konstas dismissal is absolutely typical of the way he’s been in Under-19 cricket and in first-class cricket.
“The nip-backer is something he has struggled with.”
Konstas’ Test career is still in its infancy, but opposition bowlers already have a proven strategy for knocking over the 19-year-old right-hander — and no doubt England’s bowlers will be paying attention ahead of next summer’s Ashes.
“I think I set it up perfectly for him,” Joseph explained at stumps.
“A few outswingers and then get the ball to nip back, because he’s just looking to get outside off, then get one to nip back through the gate.”
Speaking to News Corp ahead of the Bridgetown Test, Joseph was asked for his thoughts on Konstas, and after admitting he looked like a “stylish player”, the West Indies bowler offered up a cheeky warning.
“Just look out, that’s all,” he said.
‘DEJA VU’ AS NERVY GREEN FAILS AGAIN
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, captain Pat Cummins indicated that Cameron Green would be given an extended run at No. 3 in the Test side despite his poor performance during the recent World Test Championship final against South Africa.
“He’s hitting the ball really well, he’s moving really well,” Cummins said.
“We’re really happy with where his game’s placed and I dare say we’ll get a decent run of No. 3.”
However, Green has once again failed to convince sceptics that he belongs at first drop, dismissed for 3 on day one of the series opener against the West Indies in Bridgetown.
Truth be told, the tall West Australian should have departed for a second-ball duck after tentatively flashing at wide delivery from Joseph and edging towards gully, only for debutant Brandon King to drop a regulation chance.
As Green struggled for rhythm and timing in the middle, former Australian batter Greg Blewett criticised his lack of footwork and hesitant strokeplay.
“If you’re going to bat at No. 3 for Australia, or any Test side, you need to be a little bit tighter in your defence than that,” Blewett said in commentary.
“That to me is just nerves, pure nerves. He wants bat on ball.
“If you’re getting wide of off stump … you’ve got to be a little bit more focused and play it a little bit better.
“He’s a better player than this. He’s just showing his nerves at the moment.”
The very next delivery, Green fell victim to Joseph in identical fashion to his twin dismissals from the World Test Championship final — planting his front foot and pushing with hard hands towards the slips cordon.
“Deja vu for Green,” Bishop said in commentary.
Since returning to the Test side from back surgery, Green has posted scores of 4, 0 and 3. He cracked a trio of centuries for Gloucestershire in the County Championship last month, albeit batting down at No. 5.
If Green’s batting woes continue, he could slip down the order or out of the starting XI altogether to accommodate Steve Smith’s imminent return from injury.
“Leading into the Australian series at home, how is the top three going to shape up?” Blewett asked at stumps.
“Who’s going to bat at No. 3 for Australia? To me, Cameron Green isn’t the answer.
“There’s some things for the Australian selectors to work out.”
GABBA HERO SHINES IN NEW ROLE
Eighteen months after his Gabba heroics, Shamar Joseph is once again terrorising Australia’s batters in the Test arena.
In January 2024, the fast bowler helped the West Indies clinch a thrilling eight-run triumph over the powerhouse Australians in Brisbane, taking 7-68 with a busted toe in an epic performance.
Despite some mediocre performances against England in the United Kingdom last year, Joseph entered the Frank Worrell Trophy with a commendable Test bowling average of 26.75 having taken a five-wicket haul against South Africa in Providence.
However, Joseph had never opened the bowling for the West Indies before this week, predominantly serving as a first-change option in the Test arena.
The right-armed seamer was finally given an opportunity with the new ball on Wednesday — and he didn’t disappoint, taking 2-12 from six overs in a stunning opening spell.
His fourth ball was a rip-snorter, exploding off a good length and striking opener Usman Khawaja on the gloves — the ball fortuitously sailed over the slips cordon.
The following over, Joseph produced an unplayable delivery that beat Sam Konstas’ outside edge, with the teenage opener offering his opponent a congratulatory thumbs up in response.
The 25-year-old was on a rampage, knocking over Konstas and Green to leave the visitors reeling at 2-14 — and he would have inflicted further damage if not for his careless teammates, with three regulation chances dropped off his bowling.
The West Indies would have been questioning why they hadn’t thrown him the new ball sooner in his career.
Joseph, who later removed Khawaja and Webster in the afternoon session, finished with 4-46 from 16 overs, while his overall tally against Australia in Tests reads as 17 scalps at 15.94.
At the other end was fellow speedster Jayden Seales, who claimed a five-wicket haul, his third in Tests, after cleaning up the Australian tail during the evening session.
“He was special today, and I think he’s been special throughout his career,” Seales said of Joseph at stumps.
“I think he has a love for Australian batters.”
Joseph will turn 26 this year, while Seales is only 23 — alongside the experienced Alzarri Joseph, the West Indies may have unearthed a pace trio that could trouble opponents for the coming decade.
‘NO IDEA’: PITCH MYSTERY HURTS AUSSIES
There were plenty of unknowns about the Kensington Oval pitch ahead of this Test.
The Bridgetown venue had not hosted a Test match in three years, while veteran spinner Nathan Lyon was the only member of the Australian squad that had played a red-ball match there — albeit back in 2012.
“We don’t really know what to expect,” Australian captain Pat Cummins told reporters on Tuesday.
“I think it’ll be a pretty good wicket with maybe a little bit of spin later on in the game, (but) honestly, I’ve got no idea.”
The following morning, when the coin landed in Australia’s favour, Cummins chose to bat first on what proved a bowling paradise.
Five hours later, the Australians were rolled for 180, the team’s lowest first-innings total against the West Indies since 1995. It was a good toss to lose.
The pitch showed signs of volatile behaviour early on day one, with deliveries seaming in both directions and some variable bounce. Opener Usman Khawaja was struck on the glove in the second over by a delivery that leapt off a good length, while other balls failed to carry through to the wicketkeeper.
Later in the afternoon session, Australian all-rounder Beau Webster was knocked over by an unplayable delivery that nipped away several inches towards the off side.
West Indies seamer Jayden Seales was also unearthing plenty of movement through the air, swinging the new Dukes ball around corners in the morning session.
Of the 15 most recent Test innings at Kensington Oval, only three team totals were higher than 300.
“The pitch did a lot more than probably what the Australians thought,” Blewitt said at stumps.
“It really did move around most of the day, in the air, off the pitch, it was a little bit up an down as well.
“The ball dominated the day’s play.”
Time will tell whether Cummins made the right call at the toss — although West Indies captain Roston Chase confessed he would have made the same decision.
