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Australia vs West Indies second Test live: Kevin Sinclair becomes immediate crowd favourite with backflip celebration

A West Indies debutant has immediately earned cult hero status with a move that sent the commentary box wild after his first Test wicket.

James McKern and Alex Blair
13 min read
January 27, 2024 - 1:12AM
First over shocker sees Steve Smith depart

Australia and the West Indies are neck and neck after topsy-turvy day of Test cricket at the Gabba.

The West Indies lower order did well to slowly inch their score to 311 to begin the day. All eyes were on Australia’s top order to capitalise on the flat Gabba deck as the Aussies raced to pad up before the dinner break.

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Usman Khawaja was the only top-order batsman to make a meaningful score, lasting most of the innings for a hard-fought 75.

Steve Smith was tipped to go big at the top of the order after a lean start in his new gig.

He hit a brilliant on drive off Kemar Roach in the first over, but it was all over a couple of balls later when the veteran paceman trapped him LBW for six.

Marnus Labuschagne was sent back to the sheds in the next over, nicking one off Alzarri Joseph for three.

Then Cameron Green entered the fray. The 24-year-old has a mountain of expectation on his shoulders after being promoted to number four, but it was another failure for the rising star. He hit an uppish drive off Roach while on eight and sent an easy catch to skipper Kraigg Brathwaite at mid-off.

Travis Head was gone the very next ball after nicking one down leg.

Khawaja saved the day. Photo by Pat Hoelscher / AFP
Khawaja saved the day. Photo by Pat Hoelscher / AFP

The Aussies were in serious trouble at 4/24 as Mitchell Marsh entered the crease. He hit some strong shots to the fence for a quickfire 21, but his stroke play got the better of him as he miss-hit a pull shot off Joseph straight to the fielder at mid-on.

Alex Carey and Usman Khawaja steadied the ship from there, with the former hitting a trailblazing 64 off just 49 deliveries.

But he was also fell victim to his ambition as he shelled out a pull shot to the deep fielder at square leg.

Pat Cummins joined Khawaja at the crease and the pair helped Australia to respectability before Khawaja was dismissed for 75 off the bowling of debutant Kevin Sinclair, prompting one of the all-time great celebrations from the West Indies debutant.

What a celebration. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
What a celebration. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Sinclair ran off and began a cartwheel and finished with a massive backflip, earning a massive cheer from the Gabba cheer late in the night.

“That’s the best ever,” Allan Border said from the commentary box.

Pat Cummins continued for Australia as well, hitting his best Test score, a brilliant 64 not out off 73 balls to bring Australia within 22 runs of the West Indies total.

The Aussies declared to have an opportunity to unleash Mitchell Starc under the lights with the new ball.

But their game-changing stream of wickets wasn’t to be, after Smith grassed a catch in the slips off the bat of Brathwaite.

The Windies finished the day 1/13 after Josh Hazlewood took the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul with a thin edge for four which ended the day.

Play resumes tomorrow at 2pm local time (3pm AEDT).

10.30pm – Hazlewood gets the breakthrough

Josh Hazlewood has got the job done in the final over of the night, forcing the faintest of edges from Tagenarine Chanderpaul as the West Indies opener tried to see out the final session under lights.

The Aussies went up in a massive appeal but the umpire shook his head. Cummins went upstairs and DRS cameras found a slight edge on hotspot, sending Chanderpaul on his way for four.

10.21pm – Smith grasses a crucial chance

Steve Smith is having a shocker today.

The veteran slips fielder rarely puts down a catch, but tonight clearly wasn’t his night as he grassed an edge off the bat of Kraigg Brathwaite.

The Aussies have 10 minutes left to make a breakthrough, but the West Indies openers have done well to blunt the new ball and survive under the gruelling conditions.

9.45pm – Cummins declares

Pat Cummins has declared despite still trailing by 22 runs, opting for a deadly half-hour of bowling with the pink ball at the Windies top order.

Cummins was on fire with the bat and played a key role in Australia’s fightback this evening, blasting 64 not out off 73 balls, his highest score for Australia.

Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc are already out on the field warming up with a shiny new rock – a sight that would leave most batsmen around the world shaking in their boots.

Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have a massive job to do here. Runs are not important, and survival will be the only thing on their minds.

9.16pm – Khawaja falls, debutant pulls off backflip

Usman Khawaja’s mighty stand has ended.

The 37-year-old edged Kevin Sinclair to the slips and fell for 75, prompting one of the all-time great celebrations from the West Indies debutant.

Sinclair ran off and began a cartwheel and finished with a massive backflip, earning a massive cheer from the Gabba cheer late in the night.

“That’s the best ever,” Allan Border said from the commentary box.

Pat Cummins brought up a well-earned half century shortly after Sinclair stole the show.

8.27pm – Khawaja brings up 50

Usman Khawaja has brought up a hard-fought half century in the final session of day two.

The left hand opening batsman has watched seven wickets fall around him this evening as Australia collapsed throughout the new ball period.

He’s hit some brilliant strokes to the fence, but it is his demeanour at the crease that Australia will be most thankful for.

As Aussie batsmen fell playing rash shots, Khawaja persevered up the other end and has done well to inch his side towards 200.

His job now is to defend the tail and attempt to get Australia somewhere near the Windies first innings total of 311.

Pat Cummins has done well at number nine, slotting a few shots through the infield to the fence on his way to 24 off 24 deliveries.

Usman Khawaja has brought up a hard-fought 50.
Usman Khawaja has brought up a hard-fought 50.

7.38pm – Starc falls

Mitchell Starc was sent packing in the last over before tea, nicking a shorter ball off Alzarri Joseph to Joshua Da Silva for a regulation catch behind the stumps.

Australia heads to the interval at 7-161 and will have to do some serious rebuilding in the final session to get anywhere near close to the West Indies’ total.

7.22pm – Ponting predicts Carey wicket

Alex Carey was looking unstoppable on his way to 65 off 49 balls, but the fiery keeper-batsman bit off more than he could chew late in the second session against Shamar Joseph.

Carey tried pulling the ball to the square leg boundary but didn’t get hold of it and sent the ball straight down Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s throat in the deep.

Ricky Ponting proved once again he has a sixth sense for all things cricket in the moments before Carey’s demise. The former Aussie skipper noticed Carey was getting a little over ambitious and warned that he should reel in his shots and survive until the break.

“It looks like (Carey’s) eyes are spinning a bit to me. He’s in overdrive at the moment, wants to hit every ball,” Ponting said on Channel 7.

“Just go a bit more defensive, make him play a big shot from a good length ball.”

Carey’s rash shot was travelling through the air just as those words left his mouth.

Mitchell Starc joined Usman Khawaja at the crease to face out a tough spell before the break.

And he was in trouble early on, edging his third ball off Shamar Joseph to the slips. Luckily, the ball didn’t carry as Alick Athanaze leapt to his right.

7.05pm – Carey brings up 50

Alex Carey has come out guns blazing this evening and its paid off for the classy wicketkeeper batsman. The South Australian has hit some beautiful shots through the off side and kept the momentum rolling as Usman Khawaja held down the other end.

Carey took the fight to debut spinner Kevin Sinclair and bludgeoned him for a six over long-on before punching his way through the rest of the over to bring up his 50 off 38 balls, the fastest of his career.

In the first innings, the Windies were in trouble at five down and fought back to eventually make 311.

Now, it looks like the Aussies are replicating that in this innings, with Carey and Khawaja piling on 81 runs in under an hour to bring their side back into the game.

Alex Carey has shown signs of his best this evening.
Alex Carey has shown signs of his best this evening.

6.25pm – Aussies get some luck

Shamar Joseph almost had Australia six down, but a pesky bail that refused to budge gave Alex Carey a life early in his innings.

Carey swung and missed the ball before it grazed the top of his off stump. The noise was huge, with the fielding team initially thinking Carey had edged it.

But slow motion cameras showed the noise was the bail being shaken in its groove.

“That is astonishing,” Adam Gilchrist said. “If it’s your day, it’s your day.”

6.08pm – Aussies in big trouble as Marsh falls

Australia has a mountain to climb this evening after losing the fifth wicket for just 54 runs.

Mitchell Marsh was the next man to fall, completely miss-hitting a leg side shot off Alzarri Joseph, popping up an easy catch for Kemar Roach at mid-on.

Marsh had hit some brilliant shots on his way to 21 but it wasn’t to be today.

Alex Carey has now joined Usman Khawaja at the crease.

“Australia is in all sorts of strife,” Allan Border said from the commentary box.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 26: Mitchell Marsh of Australia looks dejected after losing his wicket during day two of the Second Test match in the series between Australia and West Indies at The Gabba on January 26, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 26: Mitchell Marsh of Australia looks dejected after losing his wicket during day two of the Second Test match in the series between Australia and West Indies at The Gabba on January 26, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

5.50pm – New ball still playing tricks

Kemar Roach had the crowd in the palm of his hands as he began his first over after the break on a hat-trick. But Usman Khawaja dealt with it well to deny the veteran quick the honour.

The West Indies are still producing some pearlers with the new ball, with Mitchell Marsh now forced to play the role of a top order batsman to revive the innings with Khawaja.

Incredibly, Marsh edged a cut shot off Alzarri Joseph that somehow went over the rope for six. The allrounder hit a brilliant shot off Roach down the ground for four in the following over, making it clear the pressure situation won’t be impacting his naturally aggressive approach.

4.58pm – Two wickets fall in two balls

It’s an electric atmosphere at the Gabba this afternoon – if you’re a West Indies supporter.

Cameron Green has fallen in the final over before the dinner break. Just as it looked like he’d found some form, the towering allrounder found himself back in the sheds after completely bungling a drive off Kemar Roach, sending it straight to skipper Kraigg Brathwaite at short cover.

“Cameron Green, he can’t believe it,” Brendan Julian said.

And then in the very next ball, it was Travis Head’s turn to depart.

Roach sent the ball angling down leg and Head attempted to direct it down to the fine leg boundary. But he didn’t get enough on it and tickled an edge to Joshua Da Silva behind the stumps.

Roach will resume next session on a hat-trick, with Australia well and truly in the dumps at 4-24.

“No worse way to go,” Ricky Ponting said of Head’s dismissal.

“It’s a half volley, going down legside. Just catches up with it. Just clips the inside edge and a good catch. Da Silva lunging to his right. Gets both gloves around it. Kemar strikes again. And Travis Head is gone first ball. Australia 4-24, believe it or not.”

It’s an electric atmosphere at the Gabba this afternoon – if you’re a West Indies supporter.
It’s an electric atmosphere at the Gabba this afternoon – if you’re a West Indies supporter.

4.43pm – Marnus joins Smith in the sheds

Alzarri Joseph joined the action in his first over, dismissing Marnus Labuschagne with another beautiful delivery that caught the Aussie number three’s splice and sailed to Kevin Sinclair in the slips.

The debutant scooped up a brilliant catch and sent Marnus on his way for three, bringing Cameron Green in at his new position at number four to face the new ball with 15 minutes to the break.

4.36pm – Smith out!

Steve Smith has been dismissed in the first over by a brilliant ball from Kemar Roach. The veteran West Indies paceman got one to dart back into the right-hander’s pads and sent a massive appeal through the slips cordon.

The umpire wasn’t convinced and shook his head, but the Windies immediately took a review and had the decision overturned.

Smith hit a brilliant on-drive for four earlier in the over and was tipped to go big this innings on the relatively lifeless Gabba deck, but he was sent on his way for six in another disappointing result at the top of the order in his new role.

4.22pm – Sinclair out immediately after hitting 50

Kevin Sinclair brought up his debut 50 with two massive shots over mid-off off the bowling of Nathan Lyon. The number eight batted out of his skin for the Windies to bring their total over 300.

But it was all over the following ball after he tried dancing down the crease again. He completely missed it and Alex Carey did well behind the stumps to flick the bails off and end the tourists’ innings.

The were all out for 311.

Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja rushed to the sheds to get their pads on to see out a tough spell before the tea break.

4.08pm – Horrendous mix-up

Kemar Roach has departed after a massive mix-up with batting partner Kevin Sinclair. The pair were going beautifully and kept Australia wicketless for over an hour.

But Roach took off for a run after bunting Pat Cummins to the off side. Sinclair didn’t want a bar of it, but by then Roach was over halfway down the wicket.

He slipped over as he turned around and was run out by Travis Head at the striker’s end.

“There’s nothing worse than a run-out,” Mark Waugh said.

3.45pm – Windies holding on

The West Indies lower order is putting up a fight this afternoon in the first session, with Australia struggling to produce a wicket ball on the flat Gabba deck.

Kevin Sinclair and Kemar Roach have defended well and have resisted the urge to play rash shots as their total inched towards 300.

There was almost a chance after Nathan Lyon snagged the edge of Kemar Roach in the 99th over but the ball dropped just short of the slips fielder.

2.50pm – The covers are off

A brief spat of rain threatened to push the start of day two back by a fair while. But we have good news – the covers are off.

In another worrying turn of events, the Gabba was locked down shortly before play ago due to a potential security situation involving protesters from an Australia Day march.

Spectators were stopped from entering for a short period, but the situation has been averted and thousands are now streaming through the gates.

1.45pm – Cricket Australia backflip on Australia Day

Australia Day will be recognised at the Gabba on Friday after a backflip from Cricket Australia.

CA chief executive Nick Hockley confirmed no mentions of Australia Day would take place at the stadium on Friday.

Those plans were reversed following widespread backlash with announcements set to acknowledge the day to take place.

According to News Corps Robert Craddock, the governing body will continue its policy of remaining low key over the day out of respect.

1.30pm – Uzzy burns Gilchrist with five-word reply

Usman Khawaja has delivered a brutal burn to legend Aussie Adam Gilchrist during an on ground interview following the opening day’s play.

The Australian opener was named as the 2023 Men’s Test Player of the Year after a stunning season with the willow.

Gilchrist thought he was about to be the one to break the news to Khawaja and looked excited to deliver it.

“I have the newly crowned and I’m not sure if you’ve been made aware, Usman Khawaja the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year congratulations,” Gilchrist said.

But in cold-blooded fashion, as Khawaja shook the icon’s hand he delivered the brutal truth bomb.

“I’ve known for a week,” he replied.

1pm – Aussie bowlers fume over state of pitch

Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon have claimed the Gabba pitch produced for the second Test is not fit for purpose.

Starc – who took four wickets on day one to go past 350 in Test cricket – said the pitch, which had just 3mm of grass covering, was not optimal for a day-night clash.

“We knew it was gonna be a little bit in with a hard new ball. It’s a pretty good wicket. We know the pink balls get soft at some point and I think that the firmness of this wicket, it started to go soft about the 11th over,” Starc said.

“The ball is what it is. I think it now comes down to the wicket which I think Adelaide’s got right because of the ball and we know it goes soft at certain stages depending on the wicket I think there’s a certain cushion to what they make in Adelaide and just why it’s been such a good Test match, the pink ball Test in Adelaide.

Starc isn’t happy with the pitch. (Photo by Pat Hoelscher / AFP)
Starc isn’t happy with the pitch. (Photo by Pat Hoelscher / AFP)

“So I think this week is pretty similar to the game we played Pakistan here with the pink ball (in 2016). In that game as well it went soft very early.

“There was a lot of dead patches where because it was so soft. It was hard to score, there wasn’t much in it for the bowlers and I think Pakistan got about 450 chasing 490 in the fourth innings so it feels a bit like a similar wicket where it’s probably a bit too firm for the pink ball. I think it’d be a fantastic red ball wicket but probably too firm for the pink ball.”

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Off-spinner Lyon offered similar sentiments when speaking after play on the ABC.

“I’ll try not to get in trouble,” Lyon said.

“This is just my opinion. The right venue for pink ball Tests is Adelaide Oval and that’s because (of) the contest between bat and ball and the grass left on the wicket. This wicket, I think it would be a brilliant red-ball wicket.”

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/australia-vs-west-indies-second-test-live-usman-khawaja-burns-adam-gilchrist/news-story/3f4770715be59832df8542399d0a4df2