Australia v West Indies: West Indies 8-266 at stumps on day one
Mitch Starc and Australia dominated the opening session in Brisbane, before an emphatic stand by the visitors placed some doubts in Australia’s hopes for a clean sweep of the Test summer.
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Uncharacteristic resistance from the West Indies combined with the prospect of heavy weekend rain threatens to spoil Australia’s hopes of a perfect home Test summer.
While Mitchell Starc became the fifth Australian man to 350 Test wickets, the Windies’ sixth-wicket pair of Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva frustrated the Aussies for more than two and ½ hours on day one of the second Test.
The Windies were 8-266 at stumps, providing hope that they could take the Test deep, especially given the potential aid of rain related to Tropical Cyclone Kirrily, due to fall across the final three days of the match.
RECAP ALL THE ACTION FROM DAY ONE OF THE GABBA TEST BELOW!
Debutant Kevin Sinclair is unbeaten on 16 not out while Alzarri Joseph tonked his way to 32 off 22 before falling to an edge off Josh Hazlewood in the day’s final over.
While Australia has already retained the Frank Worrell Trophy, wins remain important in the bid to secure a spot in next year’s World Test Championship final.
The Aussies beat Pakistan 3-0 earlier in the season and could make it five out of five home Tests won with victory at the Gabba.
Having chosen to bat first on a trimmed Brisbane deck that had lost much of its grass coverage in recent days, the tourists lost 4-22 at the end of the first session to leave themselves in danger of a sub-100 total on the opening day of the second Test.
Hodge and Da Silva showed there were few gremlins in the wicket, withstanding Australia for the entirety of the middle session.
Nathan Lyon broke through to trap Da Silva for 79 before Hodge became Starc’s fourth victim of the day, nicking to Steve Smith at second slip on 71 as the Aussies capitalised on the second new ball.
Starc could have had Hodge on 59 when Cameron Green spilt a tough one-handed chance at gully.
For the third straight innings on this tour, Australia had its way with the Windies’ top order.
A combination of nagging consistency, rash strokes and safe hands behind the wicket meant the Windies plummeted to 5-64, with all five wickets the result of edges.
Having held up throughout the entire home Test summer, all three frontline quicks had a lick of the icy pole, with Hazlewood drawing a flash from Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite (four) and Pat Cummins removing Kirk McKenzie – who had played nicely for his quickfire 21 – well caught by Usman Khawaja at first slip.
It was Starc however who did the bulk of the damage, removing Tagenarine Chanderpaul (21), Alick Athanaze (eight) and Justin Greaves (six) in quick succession. The second of those scalps, an outside edge snaffled by Alex Carey, was Starc’s 350th, meaning he joined Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Nathan Lyon and Dennis Lillee in having reached the figure for Australia.
It continued a summer of milestones for the evergreen Australian quartet given Lyon got to 500 Test wickets against Pakistan in Perth while Cummins and Hazlewood have both passed 250 during the season.
Yet just when the Windies were on the precipice of folding completely, gloveman Da Silva and Hodge – playing in his second Test – showed the resolve they lacked last week in Adelaide.
Travis Head was in the wars, wincing after wearing a painful from Da Silva midway through the middle session after a short ball from Cameron Green, playing despite his Covid-positive status.
While Australia retained the same XI despite assorted virus concerns in recent days, the Windies stiffened their batting by dropping spinner Gudakesh Motie for debutant all-rounder Sinclair, who received his Test cap before the match from former Windies star Carl Hooper.
Brathwaite was given out in the second over of the match after an lbw shout from Hazlewood but successfully reviewed what proved to be a howler from Bangladeshi umpire Sharfuddoula given the Windies skipper had evidently edged the ball.
Cummins told Fox at the toss that he too would have batted.
“It’s quite firm, especially for a pink ball match,” Cummins said of the pitch.
“We would’ve had a bat as well.”
Of the unchanged line-up the Australian captain said: “Everyone’s travelling pretty well. There’s no huge niggles. You’re a brave man telling any of these blokes to miss a Test match.”
DAY 1 AS IT HAPPENED
10.20PM: STARC STRIKES LATE IN THE NIGHT
Of course Mitch Starc was able ti make the new ball talk under lights.
Would we expect anything less?
This time it’s a beauty to dismiss Kavem Hodge.
Pitching on middle, squared the batsman up and all Hodge could do was edge it straight to Steve Smith at second slip.
Will Australia be able to clean the tail up quickly?
9.45PM: LYON BREAKS THE DROUGHT
The 149-run stand is over, and it’s Nathan Lyon who finds the breakthrough.
Coming from around the wicket, Lyon traps Da Silva on the crease LBW.
The ‘keeper sent a hopeful review upstairs but in the end the bad news was confirmed.
Da Silva goes for 79 and the Aussies get a wicket finally, and just before the new ball.
Can they capitalise?
9.35PM: GOLDEN ARM PUNISHED
Pat Cummins gave Travis Head the ball, and he was subsequently punished as Da Silva pounced to push into the 70s.
This partnership is now at 144 runs off 300 deliveries, a one day innings complete between these two.
The new ball is just around the corner, and that period of play will decide who truly wins the day here in Brisbane.
Nathan Lyon is back on the ground after leaving with a hamstring complaint, which appeared to only be cramp.
There have been 498 partnerships in Tests vs the bowling quartet of Cummins, Starc, Lyon & Hazlewood
— Swamp (@sirswampthing) January 25, 2024
Josh Da Silva & Kavem Hodge (currently 134) are the now the 10th highest of those
#AUSvWI
9.15PM: THE ALBATROSS PUTS ONE DOWN!
Covid Cam, can you believe it he’s put one down!
Maybe it was the lack of taste that caused it.
A thick edge off Hodge again, Green flies to his left from gully but can only get one hand to it and it goes down.
Our expectations of him in that spot are so high that it’s actually a surprise it didn’t stick.
Frustration grows.
Always said Cameron Green wasn't tall enough.
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) January 25, 2024
9.00PM: EDGE … NO CATCH
It’s been that sort of evening for Australia.
Pat Cummins comes back into the attack, first ball Hodge drives hard, gets a thick edge, but Steve Smith can’t get a hand to it.
Smith was placed at first slip, if he was in his usual spot with Khawaja at first, that would have been a simple chance.
That’s the first true edge we have seen for a long, long time.
Will Hodge make Cummins and co pay?
Reckon there’s a real argument here to bring on Head to bowl in tandem with Lyon here, and try and knock over 13 overs in 40-45 minutes. That way Australia ensure they get maximum overs with the new pink ball tonight in hands of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins. #AUSvWI
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) January 25, 2024
8.40PM: DUAL 50s and 100-RUN STAND COMES UP
In the space of a couple of overs, both Hodge and Da Silva reach 50, and bring up the century stand between them.
Two methodical and certain performances again haven’t put the Windies back in this one yet, but as the old adage says you can’t tell what a good score is until both teams bat.
And hey, who’s to say this pair will be done anytime soon?
*Speaks in attempted mozz*
8.25PM: COVID CAM OPENS UP AFTER DINNER
Cam Green closed the middle session and has been handed the ball after dinner to try and find a breakthrough.
He almost does, as Da Silva fends at a wide and short ball but there’s no edge.
It almost feels like this game is in a holding pattern either way, with Australia almost hoping the opposition start to take the attack to them.
The patience these two have shown is remarkable, and a great sign for their team after the opposite was shown in the first session.
DINNER: WINDIES RESISTANCE STIFLES AUSSIES
– Daniel Cherny
Mitchell Starc became the fifth Australian man to 350 Test wickets but the West Indies at last provided resistance with the bat to frustrate the Aussies in the Gabba twilight.
Having chosen to bat first on a trimmed Brisbane deck that had lost much of its grass coverage in recent days, the tourists lost 4-22 at the end of the first session to leave themselves in danger of a sub-100 total on the opening day of the second Test. However middle-order duo Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva showed there were few gremlins in the wicket to try up the Aussies in the second session of what is the summer’s sole pink ball Test as the Gabba gradually filled after work hours on the eve of the Australia Day public holiday.
The Windies reached 5-145 heading into the night session, providing hope that they could take the Test deep, especially given the potential aid of weekend rain related to Tropical Cyclone Kirrily.
Just when the Windies were on the precipice of folding completely, gloveman Da Silva and Hodge – playing in his second Test – showed the resolve they lacked last week in Adelaide.
Mitch Marsh echoed the sentiment of the fans, saying he was “bloody bored” at deep square-leg.
Test matches played in Brisbane:
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) January 25, 2024
Brad Hodge - 0
Kavem Hodge - 1#AUSvWI
7.25PM: ON WE TRUDGE …
You know when it’s slow going so commentators start talking about people they used to play with?
Yeah we’ve arrived and it’s a credit to this partnership.
The steam has well and truly gone from the pitch, ball and the bowling attack.
It seems like a waiting game until the lights come on at this point.
Anyway, England are already on the ropes in India so there’s that.
7.00PM: WINDIES WEATHER THE STORM
The 50-run partnership has come for this pair, with the bounce coming out of the wicket, making it the best time to bat.
Da Silva has had some stumbles (literally) on a few hook shots, but for the most part these two have been untroubled.
The visitors remain well behind in the game, but are not without hope just yet.
This is now the longest partnership of the series in balls facedhttps://t.co/4nIRy9N4Gp#AUSvWI
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) January 25, 2024
6.40PM: SHOUT GOES BEGGING
Some signs of life from the quicks, as Hazlewood draws a couple of good shouts, but they go begging for the hosts.
Nathan Lyon has come on from the opposite end, hopefully to use the bounce of this ball and wicket to his advantage before it becomes all about the quicks when the lights come on.
We are about an hour away from the cover of darkness, with the visitors hoping to still be in the game by then.
But right now, all signs look promising for the Windies.
6.20PM: 100 UP FOR THE VISITORS
This has been an impressive stint for the touring side, getting to triple figures after it looked like they would not get close.
After such a hot start, just the slightest hint of frustration may be settling in for Australia, as this ball gets a little bit older.
Even Pat Cummins was doing a little bit of talking, trying to bait Da Silva into attempting the hook shot which felled him in Adelaide.
6.00PM: WINDIES COUNTER-PUNCH TO OPEN SECOND SESSION
Promising signs to open this one, with the ‘keeper Da Silva playing a couple of beautiful strokes for the visitors to start the session.
These two are going to have to put on a serious partnership to give their bowlers something to defend, with a pitch primed for batting and the ball set to move as the skies get darker and the lights come on.
Da Silva, in his 26th Test will have to assume the responsibility of this partnership and play each ball on its merits.
These two have quickly put on 31.
5.40PM: STARC’S PLACE AMONG THE GREATS
Mitch Starc has been Australia’s 5th most prolific Test wicket taker for a while, but could stand alone at four before this Test is done.
A much-maligned player, Starc was famously criticised often by the late, great Shane Warne, but is firmly entrenched among the best ever for Australia.
Five more wickets will pass Dennis Lillee, and while it seems extremely unlikely he will get anywhere near Glenn McGrath, Starc will hold a place in history for decades to come.
From the erratic to the downright gorgeous, across all three formats, the big man has delivered time and time again.
Mitch Starc the 5th AUS bowler to take 350 Test wickets
— Swamp (@sirswampthing) January 25, 2024
Milestone wickets at the Gabba for Mitch Starc
#1
#150
#200
#300
#350
@CricketAus#AUSvWI
5.00PM: STARC STRIKES AGAIN AS WINDIES LIMP TO TEA
An edge from Greaves to Khawaja off Mitch Starc and that is the icing on a pretty awful-looking cake if you’re a West Indies fan, or if you’re just hoping for a long Test match.
Starc gets wicket 351, only four behind the great Dennis Lillee and that will be tea with the visitors 5/64.
Aussie skipper Pat Cummins praised the left-armer, calling him “the most resilient player” he had ever seen.
Steve Smith is probably already thinking about getting out there and making his first big score as a Test opener.
4.45PM: 350 TEST WICKETS FOR MITCH STARC
Well if the warning lights starting flashing before, the bulbs might be able to blow, with the floodgates on the verge of opening here.
Mitch Starc draws Athanaze forward, and the left-hander comes forward on the drive, thick edge and Carey does the rest.
The King of the pink ball Test is starting to fire up.
This first session has been nothing short of pure dominance.
4.35PM: CHANGE BEARS FRUIT FOR AUSTRALIA
Mitch Starc comes back on, and bang Chanderpaul has to go.
A regulation edge goes to Smith at second slip, who isn’t going to drop that one and the Windies are really under the pump now.
3-54 before lunch, and the warning lights are already flashing for the visitors.
Starc has been economical today and gets his reward.
All three wickets so far, nicks behind the batsmen and unlike the visitors we have seen this summer, those aren’t going down.
4.15PM: MCKENZIE’S COUNTER-ATTACK ENDS SWIFTLY
Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.
Anyway, after some lovely stroke play, McKenzie has to go, flailing at a shorter one outside off and Khawaja takes a sharp catch moving to his right at first slip.
Pat Cummins gets his first wicket of the Test match.
And straight away Cummins has a shout for caught against Athanaze but there’s no bat on that.
It’s all happening!
4.05PM: WEST INDIES BATTLE THROUGH BRUTAL FIRST HOUR
The shackles just came off slightly to close that first hour of play with Chanderpaul playing a couple of lovely late cuts for four off Pat Cummins.
McKenzie, mentored by Chris Gayle even went as far to come down the track and whack Nathan Lyon for six straight down the ground.
The GOAT probably won’t mind that right now, one to file away in the memory bank.
And promptly, of course, beats him on the outside with a beauty.
3.50PM: SPIN SURPRISE ALMOST GRABS IMMEDIATE BREAKTHROUGH
Just nine overs into this one, and on comes Nathan Lyon?
A bit of a surprise considering Cummins has two all-rounders at his disposal, but Lyon, who has the second-most day-night wickets, has started with a flurry.
The bounce of the hard ball trouble Chanderpaul, who almost hits one between his legs right back onto the stumps.
The pressure is right on the visitors, who are going at under two runs an over.
Can’t expect the young gun Chanderpaul to push the pace too much.
3.45PM: HAZLEWOOD CONTINUES TO DOMINATE WINDIES
The pressure built on Brathwaite with 17 straight dot balls, and in the end it was too much as he departs for just four.
A regulation outside edge goes through to Alex Carey and Josh Hazlewood has now joined Jason Gillespie on 259 Test wickets.
Brathwaite had to play at it, but didn’t do so with a lot of conviction and could only get an edge to it and Australia have their first.
The often unheralded Hazlewood has had a terrific summer, and has capped off a methodical start by his team to this one.
Josh Hazlewood gets the edge and takes the first wicket of the test.
— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) January 25, 2024
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3.35PM: GREEN A MAN APART FOR AUS ANTHEM
– Daniel Cherny
If you didn’t know better you might have thought Cameron Green had taken a stance on behalf of West Australian secessionists or had taken Mark McGowan’s old isolation policy to the next level.
Even more than four years after the word Covid first entered the vernacular, the virus continues to produce oddities.
When Australia’s XI lined up for the national anthem at the Gabba before the start of the second Test, there were 10 men together, and one apart.
That was WA all-rounder Green, who under a quirk of CA regulations is free to play despite being Covid-positive but must still take some social distancing measures.
It meant that as his teammates linked arms, Green stood a couple of metres or so away. He and Mitchell Starc jokingly extended their arms into space to bridge the gap.
Green, along with coach Andrew McDonald – who also recorded a positive test in recent days – have separate change rooms to the rest of the Aussie party.
The Covid positive Cameron Green stands away from teammates for the national anthem. pic.twitter.com/hu0EjqMIpo
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) January 25, 2024
3.25PM: TENTATIVE REVIEW COSTS AUSSIES
Australia are one review done just a few overs into this contest, after a failed review for caught behind.
A slight noise as Brathwaite tried to tuck one around the corner on the way to Carey, and Travis Head was adamant there was some glove on that.
Cummins looked reluctant to send it upstairs, but did anyway, only for the umpire to be proven right.
No snicko as the ball passes the glove and the Windies skipper survives.
3.10PM: SWING, SHAPE AND WICKETS (?) TO START
Unsurprisingly, being on the Gabba and the pink ball, there’s plenty of movement in the air to start this one.
Mitch Starc almost grabbed an immediate breakthrough, with Chanderpaul impacted by a hooping ball and nearly chopping onto his stumps.
Not the start we saw in the 2021 first Ashes Test, but maybe an ominous sign for the Aussies.
Batting first, it’s extremely vital the Windies make Australia work hard under the hot sun.
And immediately, Josh Hazlewood grabs a wicket with his first delivery, with Braithwaite given out LBW.
However, a DRS review shows the batsman smashing that onto his pads.
Not a great start for the umpires in this one.
No, it wasn’t Joel Wilson for the record.
TEAMS:
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
West Indies:Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Kevin Sinclair, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph
2:30PM: WINDIES BAT FIRST AFTER WINNING TOSS
Australia will bowl first in the pink-ball Gabba Test after captain Pat Cummins lost the toss.
What looked like a juicy deck two days out has had most of the grass trimmed off it and now looks like a terrific batting wicket on a baking hot Brisbane day.
An interesting week looms, with lots of rain predicted from Saturday onwards. Australia will be looking to strike early and take control of the Test today.
Off-spinning all-rounder Kevin Sinclair makes his debut for the West Indies in the only change to either team from the Adelaide Test last week.
Cummins said he would have also batted first, and dismissed any concern over the XI after Cam Green tested positive for Covid.
“It’s quite firm, especially for a pink ball match. We would’ve had a bat as well but … no worries,”
“Everyone’s travelling pretty well. There’s no huge niggles.
“You’re a brave man telling any of these blokes to miss a Test match.”
1.50PM: STARC’S BLISTERING FORM – ON THE GOLF COURSE
Mitchell Starc will enter the second Test against the West Indies in blistering form … on the golf course.
Starc won the single stableford competition at Royal Queensland on Wednesday, the eve of the second Test against the West Indies, with 44 points after shooting 76 off the stick off a handicap of 11.
His work was admired by playing partners Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
Starc and his wife Alyssa Healy are self-confessed golf tragics who not only play the game as often as they can but enjoy watching it on television.
“I loved it before Covid,’’ Starc recently told News Corp.
“But certainly once cricket was played through Covid, it introduced a lot of guys to golf because it was the only way we were going to leave a hotel apart from training for cricket. And it’s low impact,” Starc says, before remembering Maxwell falling off a golf cart at the World Cup, and the injuries to Bairstow and Inglis late last year.
“There’s been some silly accidents. For us, it’s a release, it’s four hours out and on course when no one else can touch you. You can turn your phone off if you want.
“I’m in a very fortunate position where I can do that with my wife (Alyssa Healy) as well and there are a few blokes that are quite envious of the fact that I don’t have to ask to play golf. She plays golf and drinks beer and I’m pretty lucky.” – Robert Craddock and Daniel Cherny
12PM: MONSOONAL WEATHER THREATENS TEST
Australia are to secure a cleansweep of their Test series with the West Indies, Pat Cummins and his team may need to seal the deal as early as possible.
The prospect of Tropical Cyclone Kirrily disrupting much of the play is looming greatly over the final Test of the summer.
From Saturday, monsoonal conditions are forecast to hit Brisbane, with days three, four and five all predicted to have a “very high” chance of rain according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Australia’s victory in the first Test in Adelaide was very nearly wrapped up inside two days, and they’ll be hoping for a similarly quick kill under lights in the day-night offering at the Gabba.
“It is always a challenge batting under lights when the ball is new, it is always difficult,” said Australian batsman Steve Smith.
Australia is also looking to add to its perfect 11-0 record in pink-ball Tests.
The forecast for Thursday is more promising, with only a five per cent chance of rain, which rises to a 20 per cent chance on Friday before the deluge hits on the weekend.
Complicating matters for Australia is that the team is dealing with a Covid outbreak, with middle-order stars Travis Head and Cameron Green testing positive in recent days – as well as coach Andrew McDonald.
Both Head, who has since tested negative, and Green are in no danger of missing the Test with Australia naming an unchanged XI from the Adelaide victory.
EARLIER: INSPIRING STORY BEHIND NEXT WINDIES FAIRYTALE
Brian Lara is concerned pace discovery Shamar Joseph could be lured away from Test cricket as the West Indies consider blooding another boy from the backblocks at the Gabba.
West Indies selectors are giving deep thought to promoting Guyanese batsman and off spinner Kevin Sinclair, who grew up not far from first Test sensation Joseph, in the pink ball Test on Thursday.
Sinclair came from a family so poor he often used to go to school hungry and it was only the occasional handout from canteen ladies that saved him from going hungry all day.
Sinclair, who grew up with the corruptive forces of crime and alcohol abuse swirling around him, now tries to use some of his own earnings from cricket to make a difference to the lives of children facing the same challenges.
Joseph, also from Guyana, is the talk of the cricket world after dismissing Steve Smith with the first ball of his Test career and taking 5-94 in the first innings of the first Test in Adelaide.
White ball franchises from around the globe are already talking about him and it seems a matter of time before he has to decide whether he craves white ball riches on the franchise circuit or wants to fully commit to the West Indian cause.
“It does worry me,’’ Test great and Fox Cricket’s Lara said of Joseph.
“He has made a huge statement. His international career is three days old and he is already the talk of the town. I am sure there are a lot of scouts looking at him. He has to manage himself. I am almost sure that he got through to this stage playing for the West Indies and it just gives the feeling he would be the sort of player who would enjoy this Test match limelight and want more of it.
“Everyone wants to make sure the financial side of it is secure. I don’t think the West Indian Board has a great grip on its players. There will be some temptations there. Some advances. But at this stage I think he is loving what he is doing.’’
“His decision could come quickly. That is the law of the land. We as a cricket nation suffer because the game has evolved. Don’t get me wrong I approve of franchise cricket and the way the game has gone but it has to be managed properly from a win-win situation.’’ — Robert Craddock
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