Smith and Green can be heroes as Australia chase Gabba Test victory

Steve Smith and Cameron Green can set up victory and a golden summer as Australia chase a series win against the West Indies in the day-night Test at Brisbane’s Gabba.

Shrugging off two failures each in the post-Warner era’s new batting order, Smith was unbeaten on 33 and Green on 9 at stumps on Saturday night with Australia 2-60 and needing another 156 to win on the fourth day.

Steve Smith looks like his old self after a few technical tweaks.Credit: Getty

The chase may be complicated by rain, which has been forecast for the next two days, but success would make five straight victories this summer after a clean sweep of Pakistan.

Nathan Lyon, who claimed three wickets as the West Indies were bowled out for 193 in their second innings, insisted there were no concerns about Australia’s new batting order.

He believes that Green could be the next Jaques Kallis “investing time in him at No.4.”

“I don’t need to talk about Smithy, his numbers speak for themselves,” Lyon said. “No one is worried about Smithy’s form. It’s pretty amazing to have Smithy put his hand up and go up top of the order. But also with Cameron, I feel like his technique’s good enough to succeed at number four.”

The West Indies are hindered by the loss of exciting rookie fast bowler Shamar Joseph, who suffered a toe injury after being struck by a Mitchell Starc yorker and had to be helped from the field, ending his team’s innings. A West Indies spokesman later claimed there was no fracture.

Victory would be Australia’s third most successful run chase at the Gabba after 7-236 against the West Indies in 1951-52 and 2-219 in Greg Chappell’s first Test as captain, also against the West Indies, during 1975-76. India won with 7-329 during 2020-21.

Smith played with freedom, unleashing a drive to the boundary during the first over and regularly pulling anything short for four. It forced the West Indies to push out a deep point and square leg along with fine leg.

Green was less convincing as the pink ball moved around under lights, missing and edging deliveries but surviving.

A Mitchell Starc yorker called time on Shamar Joseph’s innings.Credit: Getty

Smith lost two batting partners, Usman Khawaja caught down the leg side for 10, and Marnus Labuschagne caught at third slip for five. It continued an increasingly lean run for Australia’s No.3. In his last 12 Test innings he has made three 60s and nine scores of 16 or less.

Two brilliant pieces of fielding, a reflex runout from Travis Head and spectacular two-grab catch from Green, ensured Australia would be facing a manageable victory target.

Head was fielding at short leg to Lyon when he gathered a push from Kavem Hodge (29 from 74 balls) and flicked it onto the stumps. A desperate dive by Hodge wasn’t enough to regain his ground as his bat was over the crease but not grounded.

Less than three overs late wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva (7) drove at a ball from Starc that flew high to Green in the gully. Australia’s tallest cricketer leapt AFL style and bunted the ball up in the air before diving backwards to his right to complete the catch.

It was a contrast to earlier in the day when Steve Smith dropped a tough chance off left-hander Alick Athanaze when he was 28 shortly before the first break. Athanaze played and missed a number of times before edging a drive off Green. Smith threw himself to his right and almost snaffled a one-handed catch as he tumbled over. Whether it would have carried to Khawaja at first slip is uncertain.

It was the second catch Smith had dropped in the innings. Five overs into the West Indies’ second innings late on the second night, the former skipper missed a low chance off West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite from the bowling of Starc which went straight into Smith’s hands and straight out again. Neither chance proved costly.

Smith redeemed himself during the second session on Saturday, taking a sharp catch at slip to dismiss Athanaze for 35 from 72 balls.

Green also missed a sitter in the gully early on the second day off captain Pat Cummins when debutant Kevin Sinclair was 30. Sinclair went on to make 50 valuable runs in such a tight game.

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