Former security guard Shamar Joseph is Test cricket’s new cult hero

Last year he was a security guard. Today, he earned the respect of thousands of Aussies and walked off the field as a new crowd favourite. Meet Shamar Joseph.

Last year he was a security guard. Today, he walked off the Adelaide Oval with 20,000 Aussie supporters giving him a standing ovation.

It’s stories like Shamar Joseph’s that make us love cricket, and the 24-year-old’s debut has shown there’s still a flame flickering in the West Indies.

Granted, the visitors have all but lost the first game after two days of characteristically dominant cricket from Australia. But Joseph’s 5/94, including the wicket of Steve Smith with his very first ball on the international stage, has given the tourists something to smile about after spending weeks under the pump from the press as a “second-rate” side that travelled to Australia purely for us to feast on.

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He’s skiddy, he can bowl over 140km/h, and he’s pretty handy with the bat as well.

If it weren’t for his cameo of 36 at number 11 in the first innings, the game might have been done and dusted by stumps on day two.

Speaking after play on day one, Joseph said he was amping his team up, promising a wicket from his very first delivery. But even he couldn’t believe it would be one of his biggest cricketing idols.

“I had a few conversations with the boys in the dressing room,” Joseph said. “I told them I would get a wicket with my first ball, but I didn’t know it would be Steve Smith.

“I will remember this for the rest of my life.”

There has been a lot of criticism levelled at the West Indies players who refused to front up for the Test team this series, opting for higher paying contracts as T20 guns for hire.

The age old “Test cricket is dying” debate has been a running theme throughout the summer and it’s hard to disagree.

5fa on debut. First ball snags Steve Smith. 36 with the bat and an ovation from a rival crowd. That’s a pretty gnarly debut.

Shamar Joseph said he’d remember today for the rest of his life.

The top three teams — Australia, India and England — have already been tipped to be the only countries still playing the five-day format in a few years time as player interest wanes.

South Africa is in a similar boat, with the former Test cricket heavyweights now fielding an understrength side with several big names jumping ship for T20 competitions.

But Joseph said he’s living out a dream playing with the red ball, and wants to keep charging in for his team for as long as humanly possible.

It’s promising to hear, but the side needs some serious work.

The West Indies’ batsmen have failed to make a statement in the first Test, with Australia’s bowlers shattering the top order twice in two days.

It must be hard for Brian Lara, arguably the greatest run accumulator the game has seen, to watch his former team crumble from the commentary box.

Kirk McKenzie at No. 3 has put up the only real fight, hitting some glorious drives to the fence in the first innings for a well-made 50.

But as the Betoota Advocate aptly reported this week, those with tickets for day four and five will have to spend the weekend looking at Adelaide’s churches.

‘I told them I would get a wicket with my first ball, but I didn’t know it would be Steve Smith.’

The home side resumed with Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green at the crease on day two. All eyes were on Green in his first showing at No. 4 and while the young all-rounder smacked two sharp boundaries, he was sent on his way for 14 after edging one through to the keeper.

Enter Travis Head.

The hometown hero blasted a brilliant century in tough conditions and set up a handy lead for Australia after a brief collapsed threatened to hand the day to the visitors.

There was some quiet hope for a long, competitive game with Australia being bowled out for under 300.

But when it was time for the West Indies second innings, viewers were given a harsh reality check.

Josh Hazlewood did what he does best with his very first delivery of the innings, taking a thin edge off Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s bat to send him on his way for a golden duck.

He went on to take 3-0 off his first four overs, putting the tourists in all sorts of trouble immediately.

The towering quick finished the day with 4/18 from his eight overs.

Cameron Green chimed in with a handy wicket, and then Nathan Lyon took down Justin Greaves right before stumps to leave the West Indies at 6/73 at the close of day two.