Australia and the West Indies are neck and neck after topsy-turvy day of Test cricket on the Gabba.
The West Indies decrease order did effectively to slowly inch their rating to 311 to start the day. All eyes had been on Australia’s prime order to capitalise on the flat Gabba deck because the Aussies raced to pad up earlier than the dinner break.
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Usman Khawaja was the one top-order batsman to make a significant rating, lasting many of the innings for a hard-fought 75.
Steve Smith was tipped to go huge on the prime of the order after a lean begin in his new gig.
He hit a superb on drive off Kemar Roach within the first over, however it was throughout a few balls later when the veteran paceman trapped him LBW for six.
Marnus Labuschagne was despatched again to the sheds within the subsequent over, nicking one off Alzarri Joseph for 3.
Then Cameron Green entered the fray. The 24-year-old has a mountain of expectation on his shoulders after being promoted to quantity 4, however it was one other failure for the rising star. He hit an uppish drive off Roach whereas on eight and despatched a straightforward catch to skipper Kraigg Brathwaite at mid-off.
Travis Head was gone the very subsequent ball after nicking one down leg.
The Aussies had been in deep trouble at 4/24 as Mitchell Marsh entered the crease. He hit some sturdy photographs to the fence for a quickfire 21, however his stroke play obtained the higher 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 previous hitting a trailblazing 64 off simply 49 deliveries.
But he was additionally fell sufferer to his ambition as he shelled out a pull shot to the deep fielder at sq. leg.
Pat Cummins joined Khawaja on the crease and the pair helped Australia to respectability earlier than Khawaja was dismissed for 75 off the bowling of debutant Kevin Sinclair, prompting one of many all-time nice celebrations from the West Indies debutant.
Sinclair ran off and commenced a cartwheel and completed with an enormous backflip, incomes an enormous cheer from the Gabba cheer late within the night time.
“That’s the best ever,” Allan Border stated from the commentary field.
Pat Cummins continued for Australia as effectively, hitting his finest Test rating, a superb 64 not out off 73 balls to deliver Australia inside 22 runs of the West Indies complete.
The Aussies declared to have a possibility to unleash Mitchell Starc underneath the lights with the brand new ball.
But their game-changing stream of wickets wasn’t to be, after Smith grassed a catch within the slips off the bat of Brathwaite.
The Windies completed the day 1/13 after Josh Hazlewood took the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul with a skinny edge for 4 which ended the day.
Play resumes tomorrow at 2pm native time (3pm AEDT).
10.30pm – Hazlewood will get the breakthrough
Josh Hazlewood has obtained the job accomplished within the last over of the night time, forcing the faintest of edges from Tagenarine Chanderpaul because the West Indies opener tried to see out the ultimate session underneath lights.
The Aussies went up in an enormous attraction however the umpire shook his head. Cummins went upstairs and DRS cameras discovered a slight edge on hotspot, sending Chanderpaul on his approach for 4.
10.21pm – Smith grasses an important probability
Steve Smith is having a shocker at present.
The veteran slips fielder not often places down a catch, however tonight clearly wasn’t his night time as he grassed an edge off the bat of Kraigg Brathwaite.
The Aussies have 10 minutes left to make a breakthrough, however the West Indies openers have accomplished effectively to blunt the brand new ball and survive underneath the gruelling circumstances.
9.45pm – Cummins declares
Pat Cummins has declared regardless of nonetheless trailing by 22 runs, choosing a lethal half-hour of bowling with the pink ball on the Windies prime order.
Cummins was on hearth with the bat and performed a key position in Australia’s fightback this night, blasting 64 not out off 73 balls, his highest rating for Australia.
Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc are already out on the sphere warming up with a shiny new rock – a sight that would go away most batsmen around the globe shaking of their boots.
Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have an enormous job to do right here. Runs should not vital, and survival would be the solely factor 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 many all-time nice celebrations from the West Indies debutant.
Sinclair ran off and commenced a cartwheel and completed with an enormous backflip, incomes an enormous cheer from the Gabba cheer late within the night time.
“That’s the best ever,” Allan Border stated from the commentary field.
Pat Cummins introduced up a well-earned half century shortly after Sinclair stole the present.
8.27pm – Khawaja brings up 50
Usman Khawaja has introduced up a hard-fought half century within the last session of day two.
The left hand opening batsman has watched seven wickets fall round him this night as Australia collapsed all through the brand new ball interval.
He’s hit some good strokes to the fence, however it’s his manner on the crease that Australia might be most grateful for.
As Aussie batsmen fell enjoying rash photographs, Khawaja persevered up the opposite finish and has accomplished effectively to inch his aspect in direction of 200.
His job now could be to defend the tail and try and get Australia someplace close to the Windies first innings complete of 311.
Pat Cummins has accomplished effectively at quantity 9, slotting just a few photographs via the infield to the fence on his technique to 24 off 24 deliveries.
7.38pm – Starc falls
Mitchell Starc was despatched packing within the final over earlier than 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 should do some severe rebuilding within the last session to get anyplace close to near the West Indies’ complete.
7.22pm – Ponting predicts Carey wicket
Alex Carey was trying unstoppable on his technique to 65 off 49 balls, however the fiery keeper-batsman bit off greater than he might chew late within the second session in opposition to Shamar Joseph.
Carey tried pulling the ball to the sq. leg boundary however didn’t pay money for it and despatched the ball straight down Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s throat within the deep.
Ricky Ponting proved as soon as once more he has a sixth sense for all issues cricket within the moments earlier than Carey’s demise. The former Aussie skipper seen Carey was getting a little bit over bold and warned that he ought to reel in his photographs and survive till 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 stated 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 via the air simply as these phrases left his mouth.
Mitchell Starc joined Usman Khawaja on the crease to face out a tricky spell earlier than the break.
And he was in bother early on, edging his third ball off Shamar Joseph to the slips. Luckily, the ball didn’t carry as Alick Athanaze leapt to his proper.
7.05pm – Carey brings up 50
Alex Carey has come out weapons blazing this night and its paid off for the fashionable wicketkeeper batsman. The South Australian has hit some lovely photographs via the off aspect and stored the momentum rolling as Usman Khawaja held down the opposite finish.
Carey took the struggle to debut spinner Kevin Sinclair and bludgeoned him for a six over long-on earlier than punching his approach via the remainder of the over to deliver up his 50 off 38 balls, the quickest of his profession.
In the primary innings, the Windies had been in bother at 5 down and fought again to ultimately make 311.
Now, it seems just like the Aussies are replicating that on this innings, with Carey and Khawaja piling on 81 runs in underneath an hour to deliver their aspect again into the sport.
6.25pm – Aussies get some luck
Shamar Joseph nearly had Australia six down, however a pesky bail that refused to budge gave Alex Carey a life early in his innings.
Carey swung and missed the ball earlier than it grazed the highest of his off stump. The noise was big, with the fielding staff initially considering Carey had edged it.
But sluggish movement cameras confirmed the noise was the bail being shaken in its groove.
“That is astonishing,” Adam Gilchrist stated. “If it’s your day, it’s your day.”
6.08pm – Aussies in huge bother as Marsh falls
Australia has a mountain to climb this night after shedding the fifth wicket for simply 54 runs.
Mitchell Marsh was the following man to fall, utterly miss-hitting a leg aspect shot off Alzarri Joseph, popping up a straightforward catch for Kemar Roach at mid-on.
Marsh had hit some good photographs on his technique to 21 however it wasn’t to be at present.
Alex Carey has now joined Usman Khawaja on the crease.
“Australia is in all sorts of strife,” Allan Border stated from the commentary field.
5.50pm – New ball nonetheless enjoying methods
Kemar Roach had the group within the palm of his fingers as he started his first over after the break on a hat-trick. But Usman Khawaja handled it effectively to disclaim the veteran fast the honour.
The West Indies are nonetheless producing some pearlers with the brand new ball, with Mitchell Marsh now compelled to play the position of a prime order batsman to revive the innings with Khawaja.
Incredibly, Marsh edged a reduce shot off Alzarri Joseph that in some way went over the rope for six. The allrounder hit a superb shot off Roach down the bottom for 4 within the following over, making it clear the strain scenario gained’t be impacting his naturally aggressive strategy.
4.58pm – Two wickets fall in two balls
It’s an electrical ambiance on the Gabba this afternoon – in case you’re a West Indies supporter.
Cameron Green has fallen within the last over earlier than the dinner break. Just because it appeared like he’d discovered some type, the towering allrounder discovered himself again within the sheds after utterly bungling a drive off Kemar Roach, sending it straight to skipper Kraigg Brathwaite at brief cowl.
“Cameron Green, he can’t believe it,” Brendan Julian stated.
And then within the very subsequent ball, it was Travis Head’s flip to depart.
Roach despatched the ball angling down leg and Head tried to direct it all the way down to the advantageous leg boundary. But he didn’t get sufficient on it and tickled an edge to Joshua Da Silva behind the stumps.
Roach will resume subsequent session on a hat-trick, with Australia effectively and actually within the dumps at 4-24.
“No worse way to go,” Ricky Ponting stated 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.”
4.43pm – Marnus joins Smith within the sheds
Alzarri Joseph joined the motion in his first over, dismissing Marnus Labuschagne with one other lovely supply that caught the Aussie quantity three’s splice and sailed to Kevin Sinclair within the slips.
The debutant scooped up a superb catch and despatched Marnus on his approach for 3, bringing Cameron Green in at his new place at quantity 4 to face the brand new ball with quarter-hour to the break.
4.36pm – Smith out!
Steve Smith has been dismissed within the first over by a superb ball from Kemar Roach. The veteran West Indies paceman obtained one to dart again into the right-hander’s pads and despatched an enormous attraction via the slips cordon.
The umpire wasn’t satisfied and shook his head, however the Windies instantly took a assessment and had the choice overturned.
Smith hit a superb on-drive for 4 earlier within the over and was tipped to go huge this innings on the comparatively lifeless Gabba deck, however he was despatched on his approach for six in one other disappointing end result on the prime of the order in his new position.
4.22pm – Sinclair out instantly after hitting 50
Kevin Sinclair introduced up his debut 50 with two large photographs over mid-off off the bowling of Nathan Lyon. The quantity eight batted out of his pores and skin for the Windies to deliver their complete over 300.
But it was everywhere in the following ball after he tried dancing down the crease once more. He utterly missed it and Alex Carey did effectively behind the stumps to flick the bails off and finish the vacationers’ innings.
The had been all out for 311.
Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja rushed to the sheds to get their pads on to see out a tricky spell earlier than the tea break.
4.08pm – Horrendous mix-up
Kemar Roach has departed after an enormous mix-up with batting companion Kevin Sinclair. The pair had been going fantastically and stored Australia wicketless for over an hour.
But Roach took off for a run after bunting Pat Cummins to the off aspect. Sinclair didn’t desire a bar of it, however by then Roach was over midway down the wicket.
He slipped over as he rotated and was run out by Travis Head on the striker’s finish.
“There’s nothing worse than a run-out,” Mark Waugh stated.
3.45pm – Windies holding on
The West Indies decrease order is placing up a struggle this afternoon within the first session, with Australia struggling to provide a wicket ball on the flat Gabba deck.
Kevin Sinclair and Kemar Roach have defended effectively and have resisted the urge to play rash photographs as their complete inched in direction of 300.
There was nearly an opportunity after Nathan Lyon snagged the sting of Kemar Roach within the 99th over however the ball dropped simply wanting the slips fielder.
2.50pm – The covers are off
A short spat of rain threatened to push the beginning of day two again by a good whereas. But now we have good news – the covers are off.
In one other worrying flip of occasions, the Gabba was locked down shortly earlier than play in the past attributable to a possible safety scenario involving protesters from an Australia Day march.
Spectators had been stopped from coming into for a brief interval, however the scenario has been averted and 1000’s at the moment are streaming via the gates.
1.45pm – Cricket Australia backflip on Australia Day
Australia Day might be recognised on the Gabba on Friday after a backflip from Cricket Australia.
CA chief govt Nick Hockley confirmed no mentions of Australia Day would happen on the stadium on Friday.
Those plans had been reversed following widespread backlash with bulletins set to acknowledge the day to happen.
According to News Corps Robert Craddock, the governing physique will proceed its coverage of remaining low key over the time out of respect.
1.30pm – Uzzy burns Gilchrist with five-word reply
Usman Khawaja has delivered a brutal burn to legend Aussie Adam Gilchrist throughout an on floor interview following the opening day’s play.
The Australian opener was named because the 2023 Men’s Test Player of the Year after a shocking season with the willow.
Gilchrist thought he was about to be the one to interrupt the news to Khawaja and appeared excited to ship 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 stated.
But in cold-blooded vogue, as Khawaja shook the icon’s hand he delivered the brutal reality 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 shouldn’t be match for goal.
Starc – who took 4 wickets on day one to go previous 350 in Test cricket – stated the pitch, which had simply 3mm of grass protecting, was not optimum for a day-night conflict.
“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 stated.
“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.
“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.”
Off-spinner Lyon provided comparable sentiments when talking after play on the ABC.
“I’ll try not to get in trouble,” Lyon stated.
“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.”
Source: www.news.com.au
