Australia vs. West Indies, First Test: Shamar Joseph steals the show on day one

When all hope seemed lost, a youngster emerged from the clouds to shake up day one in Adelaide, and prove just how much we’d miss the Windies if they were gone, writes ROBERT CRADDOCK.

Just when you are ready to write them off – forever – the West Indies unveil the boy from Baracara to prove what the world would miss if they were gone.

It’s not often the star of an Australian Test match is a bowler who, until two years ago, was playing with a taped ball in an area so remote it takes two days to get there by boat.

And that after growing up bowling guavas, lemons and lime in the most primitive form of the game imaginable.

But this is the story behind Shamar Joseph’s remarkable first day as a Test cricketer which will forever be remembered as the gold stud which burst forth from an ever darkening abyss in Adelaide.

With his dashing 36 off 41 balls at No 11 followed by the wicket of his idol Steve Smith in the first ball of his Test career and the jubilant mini-victory lap which followed it, Joseph is the talk of the Test match.

Joseph began his Test career with a blistering innings. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

“I will take a picture of that and put it in my house,’’ Joseph said of the Smith wicket.

When he walked to the wicket he was wearing an arm guard he purchased only several days before the match when Adelaide based journalist Bharat Sundaresan took him shopping to a sports store.

That came after the journalist had profiled Joseph’s remarkable story of being one of nine children, and living in such a remote region of Guyana that it takes two days by boat to get there up the Canje River.

Joseph lived an early life without televisions and the region only got telephone connections in 2018 and he grew up bowling guavas, lemons and limes and, until two years ago, was working as a security guard.

Much as he loves his home region, Joseph, after being discovered by Curtly Ambrose, had to move away for the sake of his cricket career.

Joseph said no-one ever starves in Baracara due to the plentiful fishing and greens growing but financial challenges are “a bit different.’’

“It wasn’t the easiest of decisions. I have a kid to look after. My fiancee, she was our feeder. She encouraged me to do what I love.

“I learnt so much in Baracara. It’s where I come from. It might not happen when I want it to but I know I will go back and so a lot for them. They always support and encourage you.’’

Joseph followed that up with a beauty to dismiss Steve Smith. (Photo by Izhar KHAN / AFP)

Joseph was first sighted just before tea as the tourists No 11 batsman when his team were so far down the well of despair they could see China at 9-133.

Talk about a cool cat. He then spanked a cavalier 36 off 41 balls, hitting his first six in first class cricket with a smoking heave over forward square leg off Josh Hazlewood.

“That was amazing for me. He is the most consistent bowler I have faced in my career so hitting him for six motivated me a lot.’’

Joseph is the type of enchanting, rough raw and real story that cricket used to produce in days of semi-professionalism but is rarely seen in these days of talent spotting, training academies and ultra-professionalism.

A man from nowhere playing without fear. You don’t see it often.

Originally published as Australia vs. West Indies, First Test: Shamar Joseph steals the show on day one