‘All over the shop’: Aussies in crisis after 30-year horror show

Australia’s frail battling line-up has been horribly exposed again, scoring its lowest total against the West Indies since 1995.

Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis failed in their return to the Test team and Cameron Green remains badly out of form as Australia’s top order woes continued in the West Indies overnight.

Shamar Joseph spearheaded an incisive West Indies bowling effort in reducing Australia to 3/22 early in the first session - and it didn’t get much better as the day continued.

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The visitors were all out for 180 - their lowest score against the West Indies since 1995 - midway through the final session on the opening day of the first Test of a three-match series in Barbados on Wednesday.

It is Shamar Joseph’s first encounter with the Aussies since an outstanding effort in Brisbane 17 months ago when he bowled the Caribbean side to their first Test triumph down under for 27 years.

At the Kensington Oval, the Guyanese pacer dispatched Konstas and Green in quick succession and should have also accounted for Usman Khawaja but for a dropped catch at first slip by new West Indies captain Roston Chase.

Sam Konstas failed in his return to the side. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

Travis Head provided relief with a half century. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

Khawaja made the most of that chance on six but was soon joined by Travis Head when Josh Inglis skied an attempted pull off Jayden Seales for wicketkeeper Shai Hope to claim a comfortable catch.

Cricinfo writer Andrew McGlashan described the Aussie top order as “all over the shop”.

Khawaja and Head capitalised on an indulgence in short-pitched bowling by Seales and the third fast bowler, Alzarri Joseph, to reach lunch without further loss.

Australia was starting to feel calm at 3/111 before Shamar Joseph struck twice more, having Khawaja caught behind for 47 before bowling Beau Webster for 11 to leave Australia in all sorts at 5/123.

Australia's Beau Webster is bowled by West Indies' Shamar Joseph. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

Alex Carey (eight) was Seales’ second victim on the final ball before the tea break to leave the visitors 6/138.

And Head joined him back in the pavilion almost immediately after the break when he nicked off to Justin Greaves to leave Australia in all sorts at 7/142.

The end was coming quick for the Aussies when Mitchell Starc was caught at second slip for a duck to leave the score 8/143.

Pat Cummins smashed a quick-fire 28 from 18 balls to provide some moments of joy for travelling fans before clubbing a catch to mid-off to become Seales’ fourth victim.

Seale gave the Aussie skipper a send-off, wagging his finger at Cummins and directing him to return to the pavilion.

Cricket commentator Bharat Sundaresan wrote on X: “Not sure how often Pat Cummins has been given a send-off, wagging his finger & pointing in the direction of the Aussie dressing room. Something about this Jayden Seales. Terrific bowler & always feisty.”

Josh Hazlewood gave Seales five when he was caught for four to leave the visitors all out for 180.

Starc heroics give Aussies hope

Mitchell Starc took two quick wickets, dismissing Windies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell caught behind. Starc, is inching closer to the 400-wicket milestone and will soon become the 15th Australian to play 100 Test matches.

The fightback continued when Pat Cummins had Keacy Carty edging through to Alex Carey and Josh Hazlewood clean bowled nightmatchman Jomel Warrican, leaving the Windies 4/57 at stumps on Day 1.

Mitchell Starc dismissed the Windies openers. (Photo by Randy Brooks / AFP)

Earlier, after opting to bat first on winning the toss, Australian captain Cummins would have been looking on anxiously as Shamar Joseph, bowling a consistent, testing line at pace, trapped Konstas leg-before in his second over.

He should have had Green for a second-ball “duck” but debutant Brandon King grassed a straightforward chance at gully.

That miss did not prove costly as Green, on three, edged low to Justin Greaves at second slip two overs later.

The Aussies’ new first drop has now made scores of 25, 5, 4, 0 and 3 in his past five Test innings.

Australia are playing a Test match without either Steve Smith or Marnus Labuschagne in their batting line-up for the first time since November 2018 and the early success of the West Indies fast bowlers will only fuel conversations about the stability of the visitors’ batting ahead of the next Ashes series in five months’ time.

- with AFP