Pat Cummins and his team’s victory over the West Indies by 10 wickets in the opening Test at the Adelaide Oval on Friday, January 19, marked the beginning of a new chapter in Australia’s dominant summer campaign. The victory has given the home team a commanding lead in the two-game series. On the third day, Australia emerged victorious as Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja, the opening duo, effortlessly reached the 26-run goal in just 6.4 overs. Notably, the West Indies began day three hoping to avoid an innings defeat fright.
The Australians took a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series after reaching 0-26 approximately 11 minutes before noon, needing just 26 runs to win. However, Usman Khawaja (nine) retired injured with the scores tied after taking a scary hit on the helmet from a short ball hit by Shamar Joseph. Before leaving the field, Khawaja checked his cheekbones and upper jaw and noticed that he was bleeding internally. Marnus Labuschagne (one run) scored the decisive run and Steve Smith was unbeaten on 11.
How the match progressed
With the scoreboard showing 73/6, the wicketkeeper-battler combination of Joshua Da Silva and Alzarri Joseph started their innings for the day. But before any of them could significantly improve the score overnight, Mitchell Starc struck with the ball and got rid of Joshua for a total of 18. Joshua’s termination appeared to be a portentous indication for the Kraigg Brathwaite team, implying that the end was imminent and certain, and that is precisely what transpired. Josh Hazlewood got a five-for (5/35) in the second innings and concluded with match statistics of 9/79 as the Windies collapsed from 84/7 to 120 all out. The West Indian quicks, who were outstanding in the first innings, had very little cushion to work with and their body language showed it as they had just 25 runs on the board to defend. The West Indies’ batting moved from terrible to terrible in the space of a single day, which was disheartening throughout the match.
Shamar Joseph, the West Indies’ debutant, made 36 from 12 balls while batting at No. 11 in the first innings and went on to take five wickets for Australia. However, he advanced to a Nathan Lyon (2-4) delivery and was stumped. While Kirk McKenzie top-scored for the tourists with 26 and was also their best scorer in the first innings with 50, Cameron Green (1-9) was the other successful bowler.
The second test series will be played at The Gabba
The second Test of the series, which is scheduled to be played at The Gabba, which is regarded as one of the most intimidating and least preferred venues by touring parties that come to Australian shores, will give The Men from the Caribbean plenty of thinking to do. They will have just five days to regroup and return strong. The second Test will take place on January 25 in Brisbane.
By: Gursharan Kaur