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DAY 1: Australia quicks hit back after strong West Indies bowling effort

football25 June 2025 21:59| © AFP
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Australia's pacers struck back with four wickets after they were dealt some of their own medicine in being dismissed for 180 by the West Indies fast bowlers on the opening day of the first test in Barbados on Wednesday.

Seeking their first test match victory on home soil against Australia for 22 years, the Caribbean side will resume on the second morning at 57-4 at Kensington Oval.

Mitchell Starc, captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood replicated the devastation of West Indian counterparts Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph to bring Australia right back into the first of a three-match series.

Seales capitalised on the early blows inflicted by Joseph, polishing off the lower order to finish with 5-60, his third five-wicket innings haul in his 19th test.

Joseph, who enjoyed a sensational debut series at the expense of the Australians, highlighted by a match-winning innings haul of 7- 68 in Brisbane 17 months ago, was again in devastating form against the same opponents, prising out four of the first six wickets to fall over the first two sessions.

He cast aside the ordinary performances of most of the previous year and a half to claim 4-46 from 16 overs of sustained pace where he continuously challenged all batsmen and would have enjoyed greater success but for poor catching by his teammates.

Debutant Brandon King was the chief culprit, missing three chances at gully.

But the most expensive lapse was from new captain Roston Chase who, in his 50th test, dropped Usman Khawaja at first slip when the opener was just on six.

KHAWAJA AND HEAD IN KEY STAND

Khawaja battled to 47 before eventually falling to Joseph, featuring in an important 89-run fourth-wicket stand with Travis Head after the Australians had slumped to 22-3 in the morning following Cummins's decision to bat first on winning the toss.

Head's top score of 59 was highlighted, as usual, by flamboyant drives and pulls, the left-hander counting nine boundaries in his 78-ball innings.

Earlier, Australia's captain had cause to immediately ponder on the wisdom of his decision when Joseph dispatched Sam Konstas and Cameron Green in quick succession with the new ball and should have also accounted for Khawaja, who had another reprieve on 45.

However, the opener's luck eventually ran out when he under-edged a pull at Joseph to be caught behind while Beau Webster was comprehensively bowled by arguably the best ball of the day from the Guyanese pacer.

Seales, who had dispatched Josh Inglis in the morning via a skied catch to wicketkeeper Shai Hope from a miscued pull, claimed a vital second wicket when Alex Carey edged a drive high to Chase at first slip on the stroke of tea.

"This was really special for me," said Seales in reflecting on his effort at the end of the day.

"I was injured when last I played a test against them so to come back here and get five was really satisfying.

"With the new ball we knew we had to bowl a bit fuller. This pitch was also a bit slower than the Australians would have expected and that worked in our favour with them playing at balls they didn't have to."

Following Head's swift demise at the start of the final session to medium-pacer Justin Greaves, Seales removed Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood without too much fuss, leaving the West Indies top-order batting with a challenging passage of play before the close.

It proved a task beyond four of them, Starc accounting for openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell before Cummins removed Keacy Carty and Hazlewood dispatched nightwatchman Jomel Warrican, leaving King and Chase to carry the fight into the second day.

WEST INDIES: Roston Chase (capt), Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wkt), Justin Greaves, Alzarri Joseph, Jomel Warrican, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales

AUSTRALIA: Pat Cummins (capt), Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wkt), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon

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