Analysis: Shambolic batting on day one against West Indies shows how deep Australia’s problems go

If Australian selectors thought the long-mooted axing of Marnus Labuschagne would solve their batting ills, they were jolted back to reality at Kensington Oval.

If Australian selectors thought the long-mooted axing of Marnus Labuschagne would be the panacea to their batting ills, they were jolted back to reality by a grisly display at Kensington Oval.

It was a reminder that fans can call for as many heads to roll as they want, but it doesn’t serve as any guarantee that the new bonces will do any better.

Part of the reason why the panel persisted with Labuschagne for so long was that they weren’t convinced there were superior options.

Those fears appeared grounded in reality when Gabba nemesis Shamar Joseph returned to run through the tourists in the early hours of Thursday morning (AEST) on a patchy wicket that had enough in it for the West Indies quicks.

Joseph has not soared to his stratospheric debut series heights in the ensuing 17 months but on the opening day in Barbados he was irresistible, making a mockery of pre-series criticism on SEN from Australian wicketkeeping great Ian Healy, who had taken exception with a cheeky quip Joseph made to this masthead.

Jayden Seales finished with five wickets but it was Joseph who started the rot. He ended with four scalps but also had three catches dropped off his bowling.

Joseph probed Australia’s top six with an examination every bit as searching as anything they’d seen from Jasprit Bumrah or Kagiso Rabada in recent times, reinforcing several concerning themes less than five months out from the start of an Ashes defence on home soil.

Indeed it is arguably disrespectful to start seriously thinking about the urn just yet, because if the Aussies keep batting like this then the Frank Worrell Trophy is at risk of swapping hands for the first time in three decades.

That may sound alarmist given the thinness of the hosts’ batting, but then again this was Australia’s lowest completed first innings total against the West Indies since 1995. And the tourists were fortunate to even get 180 given the Windies put down four catches, including three drops from debutant Brandon King, and Travis Head had a contentious low catch decision fall his way.

The individual dissection is particularly troubling.

Sam Konstas may have been a national icon at 19, but he is a long way adrift of being the finished product. He was the right man (boy) to disrupt Bumrah however his weakness against the inswinger - identified during the under-19 World Cup early last year - remains and was exploited by Joseph.

Sam Konstas' issues against the inswinger were capitalised on by the West Indies

Cameron Green flubbed his way to three, never looking comfortable as he guilelessly edged Joseph to Justin Greaves at second slip, having already been dropped on nought.

It is a very small sample size in the role, but there is precious little data to suggest that Green will cut it as a long-term Test No.3 like Australia hopes. He entered the World Test Championship final on the back of three centuries for Gloucestershire, but his showings since suggest that runs down the order in the second division of the County Championship are worth about as much as bills in Weimar era Germany.

Cameron Green has looked out of sorts at No.3 Picture: Randy Brooks/AFP

If Green is unproven in first-class cricket at No.3, the same can be said of Josh Inglis at No.4. The backup gloveman had the chance to prove he wasn’t just keeping a seat warm for Steve Smith. A wild skied pull attempt off Seales on five was an ugly end.

The scorecard will be prettier reading for Usman Khawaja, but the reality was no oil painting. Khawaja scratched his way to 47 across almost four hours in the middle, but shouldn’t have made it past six when he edged Joseph only to be put down by Roston Chase at first slip.

The opener was dropped again on 45 before bottom-edging a pull three runs short of his half-century. Khawaja insisted in the lead-up to this match that he still has the game to combat quality fast bowling but this was not exactly convincing.

Usman Khawaja enjoyed several chances on his way to 47. Picture: AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan

While Head’s half-century prevented a total calamity, the middle order could not sway the game back Australia’s way. Alex Carey has plenty of credits in the bank but flashed at a widish Seales delivery just before tea on eight, while Beau Webster got an unplayable delivery from Joseph that nipped back to take his off-bail.

Once more Australia’s attack has been charged with a rescue mission. And the Aussie bowlers are masters of steering the boat back from choppy waters. But as shown against South Africa, it can only go so far.

Originally published as Analysis: Shambolic batting on day one against West Indies shows how deep Australia’s problems go