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Australia v West Indies: Follow all the action from the day-night Test in Adelaide

Two centuries have lit up the Australian scoreboard on a day of absolute dominance as the Aussies, led by captain Pat Cummins, declared David Warner had their unwavering backing.

Ben Horne
14 min read
December 8, 2022 - 10:19PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
West Indies make early breakthrough in Adelaide

Marnus Labuschagne has, at least for now, superseded Steve Smith’s batting average with another triple figure masterclass, as local hero Travis Head became the first South Australian in 28 summers to make a hundred at Adelaide Oval.

The latest Australian ton of fun double act, came as captain Pat Cummins gave David Warner a resounding public endorsement after his explosive withdrawal from Cricket Australia’s leadership ban fiasco.

Adelaide boy Head (114 not out) notched an emotion-charged century to set the home crowd of 24,449 alight, redemption for his gut-wrenching 99 in Perth and history-making as the first SACA star to post a hundred on home soil since Greg Blewett in 1995.

Scoring a hundred in front of home fans was something another Adelaide great Darren Lehmann never managed to do, and Head has now gone past Blewett (four) and joined Lehmann on five Test centuries as Australia finished day one in command of a hapless Windies at 3-330.

Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head walk from the field at the end of play on a day of pure dominance for the Aussies. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head walk from the field at the end of play on a day of pure dominance for the Aussies. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

At the other end Labuschagne — now averaging 61.77 — again rewrote the record books himself by joining West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers and Australian Adam Voges, in becoming just the third Test batsman to follow up a double century with centuries in their next two innings.

Labuschagne added to his 204 and 104 not out in Perth, with another 120 not out masterclass under lights on day one in Adelaide as he continues to lay claim to rivalling Smith and Englishman Joe Root as the world’s No.1 batsman.

Usman Khawaja also continued his brilliant career renaissance, with another well-made 62 to make it 1000 runs for the 2022 calendar year.

Warner missed out on another opportunity to cash in against the listless Windies after the high drama of his decision to pull out of the dysfunctional process to review his lifetime leadership ban, but on and off the field — captain Cummins declared the opener had the team’s unwavering backing.

Travis Head notched an emotion-charged century to set the home crowd of 24,449 alight.
Travis Head notched an emotion-charged century to set the home crowd of 24,449 alight.
Marnus Labuschagne added to his 204 and 104 not out in Perth, with another 120 not out.
Marnus Labuschagne added to his 204 and 104 not out in Perth, with another 120 not out.

“I’ve chatted to Davey today and he’s great,” Cummins said on Fox Cricket commentary.

“We really support Davey. He’s a huge member of our side. He’s been fantastic for me my whole career. For this side, he’s been an awesome leader especially the last few years.

“So he has our absolute support. We really back him and respect his decision.”

Cummins, along with Australian coach Andrew McDonald, wrote Warner a reference for his now abandoned hearing, and his support was just as strong for the opener converting recent gold-plated ODI form into a long-awaited Test hundred.

“Davey has been great. That’s one of his biggest strengths. You don’t know whether he’s scored a hundred or hasn’t scored that day. He’s the same Davey. A big character in the team,” said Cummins on Fox.

“And we all know how good he is. He’s hitting the ball beautifully in the nets and two weeks ago he hit an unbelievable hundred in ODI cricket. Sometimes it’s just one format where he might not have had that big score for a while, but he’s hitting the ball beautifully.”

It’s fast becoming the summer of Marnus, after the superstar No.3 followed in the footsteps of Sobers (365 not out, 125, 109 not out) and Voges (269 not out, 106 not out, 239) for continuing to blaze after notching double-hundreds.

Labuschagne may come back under Smith’s Test average of 61.17 if he gets out, but his greatness as a batting giant in his own right is now well and truly established.

Marnus Labuschagne has only been dismissed once this series despite amassing 428 runs.
Marnus Labuschagne has only been dismissed once this series despite amassing 428 runs.

After a series of embarrassing crowds to start the cricket summer, including last week’s first Test in Perth, Adelaide Oval once again restored respectability as it confirmed its undisputed status as Australia’s cricket capital.

A crowd of almost 25,000 filed through the gates to create a welcomed healthy buzz around the Australian team, and Labuschagne and Head responded with a faultless partnership which threatened to drive the battling Windies into the dirt.

After already losing gun fast bowlers Jayden Seales and Kemar Roach to injury in the last Test, as well as seam bowling all-rounder Kyle Mayers, the West Indies went down another bowler in the first session on day one when Marquino Mindley limped up the race clutching his hamstring and did not return.

Mindley only arrived in Adelaide from the Caribbean on Tuesday and his body didn’t clearly did not handle the quick turnaround from his long-haul flight.

The West Indies were so desperately short on troops they even had to call in Melbourne subbies player Omar Phillips (a former international) as an emergency fielder.

Against the run of play, Australia lost the wickets of Khawaja (lbw to Devon Thomas) and stand-in captain Steve Smith (0) in quick succession to go down 3-131, but Labuschagne and Head then consolidated to ram home the advantage in ruthless fashion.

Batters are always wary of the tricky twilight and night time period, but Labuschagne and Head never looked troubled.

Travis Head celebrates scoring his century with teammate Marnus Labuschagne. Picture: AFP
Travis Head celebrates scoring his century with teammate Marnus Labuschagne. Picture: AFP

FULL HEAD OF STEAM

South Australia’s Travis Head put his first Test dismissal on 99 to bed with a rapid-fire century at the Adelaide Oval in front of an adoring crowd.

The Adelaide cult hero brought up his fifth Test hundred with a boundary as he joined the Australian run feast late on the opening day.

The Windies didn’t have an answer to some of Head’s peach cover drives and square cuts, regularly piercing the field to run away to the fence.

Such was his dominance that his century came up off just 122 delivers.

It was a devastating display as he gathered in confidence late into the night, almost overhauling fellow century-maker Marnus Labuschagne before stumps.

Travis Head celebrates making his century. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Travis Head celebrates making his century. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

LABUSCHAGNE REACHES 100 – AGAIN!

If Marnus Labuschagne centuries are getting very familiar, there’s a reason for that.

This 100 in Adelaide is his third in a row – and the second time he has scored tons in three consecutive Tests.

He brought up the century with a slashing square drive that rocketed to the boundary.

Marnus Labuschagne salutes the crowd after reaching his century. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Marnus Labuschagne salutes the crowd after reaching his century. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
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SMITH DUCK ENDS BIZARRE STREAK

Steve Smith’s dismissal for a duck might not have caused seismic change on a cruisy day for Australia – but at least it broke a seven-year hoodoo for the West Indies.

The last time the Calypso Kings removed Smith in a Test was in Hobart in December, 2015, the first game of a three-Test series.

Smith made an unconquered 134 in the Boxing Day Test that year and 70 not out in the second innings.

Smith did not bat in the third Test as only one-and-a-half innings were completed.

He had 444 runs without being dismissed after 200 not out and 20 not out in the first test in Perth.

But that crazy run is over after the stand-in skipper chipped back to Jason Holder and was out for a duck today.

The last time West Indies dismissed Smith before today was in October in a T20 fixture.

In seven Tests against the West Indies Smith averages an extraordinary 179.

Steve Smith had a very rare failure against the West Indies. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Steve Smith had a very rare failure against the West Indies. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

HEAD REACHES 50

Travis Head notches his half-century on his home ground and Pat Cummins says on Fox Cricket: “There’s 50 to the mayor of Adelaide.”

This is Head’s third half-century in six Test innings at Adelaide Oval.

The Aussies now 3-230.

CUMMINS BACKS WARNER

Australian captain Pat Cummins says the team is behind opener David Warner in his latest battle with cricket authorities.

Warner has abandoned a bid to have a lifetime leadership ban from the Sandpapergate scandal overturned, slamming the appeals process. His manager added more fuel to the fire on Thursday with explosive new claims about who knew about the ball-tampering incident.

“I haven’t heard the comments today but I’ve chatted to Davey today, we really support Davey and he’s a huge member of our side,” Cummins said on Fox Cricket.

“He has our absolute support, we’re really backing him and respect his decision.”

Cummins also spoke about the quad injury that ruled him out of the Adelaide Test.

“It’s a minor strain that is hopefully only around about a one-week injury, but if you really push it can turn into a bigger strain that would be the whole summer, so it’s kind of risk versus reward.”

SECOND SESSION OVER

The second session ends – a better one for the West Indies with two wickets falling for 100 runs.

LABUSCHAGNE GETS TO 50, AUSTRALIA PASSES 150

Marnus Labuschagne’s summer of making runs for fun continues as he passes 50 again.

WINDIES STRIKE TWICE: SMITH FOR A DUCK!

Steve Smith has failed – being dismissed for a duck – in a double strike for the West Indies.

In what will add some interest for a crowd getting restless, Smith was squared up by former Windies captain Jason Holder and hit a comfortable return catch.

Home town boy, Travis Head comes to the wicket to join Marnus Labuschagne.

KHAWAJA OUT!

Devon Thomas may not have bowled in an international match since a 2009 ODI but he makes the breakthrough.

Khawaja looked mostly untroubled on his way to 62 but was trapped in front and given out.

His DRS review was unsuccessful too – with the replay showing the ball going on to clip leg stump.

Smith was in the touring party as the reserve wicket keeper but has proven the wrecker for Australia!

Now here’s the stand-in skipper, Steve Smith

WINDIES TURN TO BOWLER NUMBER 7

Devon Thomas comes into the attack – his first international bowl since 2009.

USMAN KHAWAJA BRINGS UP 50

Usman Khawaja has brought up his half century in the last over of the first session.

It has been a prolific time for the veteran opener who also cracked 1000 runs for the calendar year.

As the teams head to the dinner break, it is looking ominous for the West Indies who have used six bowlers already in the first session.

WEST INDIES SKIPPER SLAMMED

The West Indies are the walking wounded already early on day one in Adelaide with captain Kraigg Brathwaite having to resort to his own part-time slow off-spin before the tea break.


WARNER GONE!

After a series of boundaries, David Warner reaches for one outside off stump and nicks off to Josh Da Silva behind.

David Warner’s difficult period continues.

Alzari Joseph has his man!

But the job doesn’t get easier for the West Indies – here comes Marnus Labuschagne.

STAND-IN SMITH WINS THE TOSS, AUSSIES BAT

Stand-in captain Steve Smith has won the toss and Australia will bat first in Adelaide.

“We’re going to have a bat. Traditionally that’s what we like to do here. If you bat really well. You can set the game up.”

West Indies captain, Kraigg Brathwaite announced three changes to the West Indies team with opening bowler Kemar Roach ruled out along with Jayden Seales and Kyle Mayers.

Marquino Mindley will make his debut 48 hours after arriving in Australia from Jamaica.

With play about to get underway, the starting XI for each team:

Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Michael Neser, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott Boland

West Indies: 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Shamarh Brooks, 4 Jermaine Blackwood, 5 Devon Thomas, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 8 Roston Chase, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Anderson Phillip, 11 Marquino Mindley

HAZLEWOOD RULED OUT, NESER IN

There is more late drama for Australia for the second Test with Josh Hazlewood ruled out and Michael Neser called into the attack.

In an almost carbon copy of last summer, Hazlewood has joined Pat Cummins on the sidelines for the Adelaide Test, with Scott Boland and Neser the additions to complement the senior man, Mitchell Starc.

It was high drama last summer when a Covid issue ruled out Cummins on match morning, while this year it’s David Warner’s fury over his treatment by Cricket Australia and its independent review of his leadership ban.

Michael Neser is back for Australia – playing in Adelaide where he made his debut against England last year. Picture: William WEST / AFP
Michael Neser is back for Australia – playing in Adelaide where he made his debut against England last year. Picture: William WEST / AFP

Hazlewood missed the start of training on Tuesday and didn’t partake in the fielding session with teammates as he headed to the gym instead.

It’s understood there is a niggling issue with his hip and selectors have decided to err on the side of caution, despite the fact stand-in captain Steve Smith had declared Hazlewood and Starc fit to play on match eve.

Starc led an inexperienced attack of Neser – who debuted last year in Adelaide – and Jhye Richardson last summer and they got the job done against England with the pink ball.

Boland has the experience of three Tests from last summer, but it’s still a very green Australian attack compared to the normal set up of old heads Hazlewood, Starc and Cummins.

CLARKE: UNFAIR TO MAKE WARNER THE SANDPAPERGATE ‘SCAPEGOAT’

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has hit out at Cricket Australia’s baffling inconsistency in the process to review David Warner’s leadership ban, questioning why the opener has become a scapegoat for so much of the Sandpapergate affair.

Steve Smith, who led Australia during the Sandpapergate affair in South Africa almost five years ago, will skipper the side in the second Test against the West Indies starting today in the absence of regular captain Pat Cummins after his leadership bad was rescinded by CA officials last summer.

FIRST BALL IS AT 3PM AEDT

And Clarke says Warner has every right to be frustrated by a process that seems to have one rule for some and another for others.

Warner has given up on attempts to overturn his leadership ban, saying he did not want to put his family through further public humiliation after alleging counsel assisting the independent panel assembled for a hearing had made “offensive” comments in the process.

Speaking on Sky Racing Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast, Clarke said Warner had not missed with his comments on Wednesday night but he could understand his former teammate’s frustration.

Michael Clarke with David Warner and Steve Smith in 2014. Picture: Mark Brake
Michael Clarke with David Warner and Steve Smith in 2014. Picture: Mark Brake

“You can tell he’s disappointed and frustrated,” Clarke said.

“ I think the other thing that probably hurts a little bit more is the fact Steve Smith is going to captain this Test match.

“I can understand Davey’s disappointment. In regards to where Davey is with his age, he’s unfortunately missed out on the captaincy opportunity in my opinion.

“I don’t think that’s the concern, it’s the fact it’s taken so long to process this or to get to where it’s at.

“I see it as very inconsistent. I find it very hard to believe it’s okay for one but not okay for the other to have a leadership role.

“If CA decided all the guys involved in what went down in South Africa, none of them were going to play a leadership role, I think that’s a fair call.

“But if it’s okay for one, if it’s okay for Smithy, it’s got to be ok for (Cameron) Bancroft and it’s got to be okay for Warner.”

Warner had objected to the idea the panel set to hear the appeal of his leadership ban demanding he be subject to a public cross examination when matters are usually conducted privately.

The father of three young daughters said his family was more important that cricket and said he was “not prepared for my family to be the washing machine for cricket’s dirty laundry”.

Clarke was unsure whether any of the players involved should be involved in leadership positions but was adamant Warner should not carry the can alone.

“I don’t know if it’s fair to make David Warner the complete scapegoat and say everyone else can go back to normal,” Clarke said.

Michael Clarke with David Warner Picture: AAP Image/Nikki Short
Michael Clarke with David Warner Picture: AAP Image/Nikki Short

“We’ll forgive you but we won’t forgive Davey. I’m not sure any of them should be involved in a leadership role.”

“It’s a tough one for Davey to swallow, rules in place for him and not for the others.”

The rehashing of the Sandpapergate incident was another blow for the sport in a summer in which fans seem disenchanted with the national team.

“It’s the last thing cricket needed,” Clarke said.

“This just adds the fuel to the fire as to why the fans are peed off. This is just going to polarise. Just negative press again for cricket. What is happening with Cricket Australia?”

Clarke said he could understand Warner’s frustration with a national body keen to “wipe their hands” of the matter.

“This is the part that makes it hard. The leadership has now swapped hands – different CEO, different high performance manager, different head coach.

“Because it’s all changed, it’s easy for CA to say we’re not going back there. Decisions were made from a different board. Easy to wipe their hands of it. That’s why I understand Davey’s frustration, I really do.”

As much as people – Warner included – wanted Sandpapergate to fade into the past though, Clarke said it would continue to be a topic until the full story came out.

“There’s so much around how that was handled that was just not the right way,” Clarke said.

“Starting from doing the crime – let’s start there. How does it go away, don’t say anything.

“(Former South African captain) Faf du Plessis just wrote a book and it’s in his book.

“The fact that there’s (only) bits and pieces of what went down is out there to protect so many people is the problem with all of this.

“If they want to make it public, the whole lot should be made public from start to finish. If it keeps coming up how do you move on? How does cricket move on?

“Unfortunately for this Australian team, a lot of players that were involved then are involved now. So really it seems that until they retire this is just going to keep coming up because there’s so many questions around what went down.”

EXCLUSIVE CLUB: WILL STARC SILENCE CRITICS FOR GOOD?

Mitchell Starc needs nine wickets to cross the threshold to what history often decrees as the absolute elite level of fast bowlers.

The 300-wicket milestone is a mark that many Australian fast bowling giants failed to reach, like Craig McDermott, Jeff Thomson, Jason Gillespie and Merv Hughes and it’s now on the offing for Starc to achieve in Adelaide if he can replicate his best ever return from a pink ball Test.

Stand-in Australian captain Steve Smith has played alongside Starc his entire career and believes the left-arm prince of the pink ball is actually a better bowler at 32 than he was as a young tearaway.

To get to 300 wickets, as a rule you would have had to play 70 Tests, and for any fast bowler that level of longevity in itself is a mighty effort.

For that reason, 300 is often seen as the mark that separates the very good from the greats.

Starc is on 291 wickets as he enters his 73rd Test, and he is now within touching distance of joining Glenn McGrath, Dennis Lilliee, Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee as only the fifth Australian fast bowler to pass 300.

Mitchell Starc (L) is just nine wickets away from cricket’s magic bowling mark. Picture: Matt Turner.
Mitchell Starc (L) is just nine wickets away from cricket’s magic bowling mark. Picture: Matt Turner.

After he passes the magic number, only 55 wickets will separate Starc from Lillee (355) and being Australia’s No. 2 fast bowling wicket-taker after the untouchable McGrath (563).

It will be an exceptional achievement, and one that hasn’t come by accident. Starc has sacrificed upwards of $10-15 million dollars to bypass the Indian Premier League’s riches for the past seven years in order to refresh and fortify his body for the format he values above all others – Test cricket.

Starc’s best ever match-figures in a pink ball match was nine wickets against New Zealand in Perth in 2019, but he took eight against England in Adelaide in 2017, seven in Brisbane against Pakistan in 2016 and two more six-wicket hauls in Adelaide, including last year’s Ashes, to prove beyond any doubt that big bags with the pink ball is very much the norm.

From 10 pink ball Tests, Starc has a staggering 56 wickets at just 18.41.

The irony being of course, Starc was originally one of the most vocal critics of the switch to day-night Test cricket.

Smith indicated he would not be surprised if Starc reached 300 in one go in Adelaide, with more tricks up his sleeve than ever before.

Mitchell Starc is a pink ball magician. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty
Mitchell Starc is a pink ball magician. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty

“I think he’s improved a lot last few years. He’s got some different balls up his sleeve now. He bowls that wobble seam across the right hander quite a bit and back into the leftie which has been beneficial on wickets that are offering a bit of seam movement,” said Smith.

“And then with the new ball he’s got the ability to swing it back down the line to the right hander.

“Anyone that bowls left arm and above 140km/h an hour they’re a pretty good asset to any team.

“Starcy, his record in pink ball cricket is exceptional and hopefully he can have another good week this week.”

- With Emma Greenwood

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Originally published as Australia v West Indies: Follow all the action from the day-night Test in Adelaide

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