Steve Smith rescues Australia in Second Test against West Indies
Steve Smith has rescued Australia after yet another top order capitulation, but there has been another twist in the final session of play.
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Steve Smith has rescued Australia after yet another top order capitulation to steer the Tourists towards a defendable total in the second Test against the West Indies.
Three late wickets delivered yet another massive twist in the rollercoaster series with Australia reaching stumps at 7/221 — an overall lead of 254 runs with three wickets in hand.
Smith and Cameron Green combined nicely to put together a 93-run partnership before Green chopped on one delivery after reaching his fifty.
Travis Head and Smith then appeared to be on their way towards big scores when the match was turned on its head again in the final session of play at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada.
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The hosts went bang, bang, bang with Smith (72), Head (39) and Beau Webster (2) all falling during a middle order collapse of three wickets for 27 runs.
Just two overs after Heads’ dismissal, stumps was called as a result of poor light quality.
Holding a 1-0 lead in the three-match series following a 159-run victory in the first Test in Barbados, Australia started the day in trouble at 3/28 before Smith arrived at the crease.
His fighting knock may be enough to get Australia to a 2-0 series lead.
“It was a tricky surface,” Smith said at the end of the day.
He went on to say: “We are in a nice spot. Don’t think the wicket is going to get any better. Will probably do a few more tricks. The new ball is going to be pretty crucial for us.
“Hopefully we can get up to somewhere around 300 and then we’ll see how it goes.”
West Indies’ lone success on a morning interrupted by seasonal showers was nightwatchman Nathan Lyon for eight, the right-hander offering a catch high to John Campbell at second slip off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph having done his job the previous evening in protecting the next man in, Smith, from having to negotiate a tricky few minutes to the close.
Green, once again entrusted with the vital number three position in the order, batted with great restraint with his 52 runs coming from 123 balls.
Having missed the first Test through injury and fallen cheaply in the first innings on Friday, Smith seemed to settle in for a significant contribution and was solid as he notched his 43rd Test half-century.
West Indies were disciplined in the main with their bowling effort although none of the pacers consistently challenged the Australian batsmen.
Like Green, Smith was content to play carefully, the exception being consecutive boundaries off Shamar Joseph, the Guyanese fast bowler who famously claimed the former Australian captain’s wicket with his very first ball in Test cricket in Adelaide 18 months ago.
Aussie selectors will breathe a sigh of relief at seeing Green finally make some runs batting at first drop.
The other top order selection of picking Sam Konstas to open alongside Usman Khawaja has been a spectacular failure.
Konstas’ Test career is only four Tests old but it might already be at a crossroads.
Konstas, who had treatment on his back in the field, couldn’t survive until stumps, chopping on to Jayden Seales for a four-ball duck in an ugly dismissal.
“I’ve just noticed a few balance issues in Barbados and here,” former Australian player Greg Blewett said in commentary.
“That dismissal there, his feet aren’t planted and then he’s throwing his hands at the ball.
“His feet are still moving after he makes contact (with the ball). That’s not ideal. That just suggests things aren’t quite right with his balance.
“Sometimes he’s getting in good positions, but a lot of the time you’re just seeing that overbalance after he plays a shot.”
— with AFP
Originally published as Steve Smith rescues Australia in Second Test against West Indies
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