WI VS AUS 1ST TEST

This is the dawn of a new West Indian era. Shamar Joseph has been like fire, coming at the batters consistently, while he has been supported well by the others. All the four seamers - Shamar, Alzarri, Seales and Greaves got a wicket apiece, despite the controversies which surrounded them in the third innings as well. There has been no let off from any bowler and that is why, run scoring has been at a premium. Apart from a few loose deliveries towards the end of the day, the bowling has primarily been spot on.

West Indies getting bowled out roughly 25 minutes before Tea meant that the break was taken early. That also meant that Australia had to bat for nearly 3 hours in the final session. They started positively as West Indies struggled to control the new ball, but once they found that control, the wickets started to come. Barring Beau Webster, no one has been able to adapt to this surface in this innings, despite seeing off a lot of deliveries. Once again, like the first innings, the Aussies got a fair bit of chances through dropped catches, but still, have lost 4 wickets before close.

The day began with West Indies at 57/4, trailing Australia by 123. An early wicket of Brandon King put the Aussies on course for a decent first-innings lead but a fighting stand of 67 for the 6th wicket between skipper Roston Chase and Shai Hope ensured that the visitors' chances of getting ahead got grim. Both players were playing well but got dismissed in two moments of controversy as the hosts slipped from 139/5 to 190 all out. It could be looked like what could have been, had both, Chase and Hope not been given out, but it is what it is. Mitchell Starc took 3 wickets while Hazlewood, Cummins and Webster took 2 apiece. Not a single half centurion was seen in that West Indian innings.

This Test match has moved along at breakneck speed and we could be in the face of a 3-day Test. Australia bowled well post Lunch to restrict West Indies to a lead of 10, but the hosts have bounced back in a long last session, of nearly 3 hours, to end the day on top.

Easily negotiated by Travis Head. Hard length at the bodyline, a tad on the shorter side. Head hops and nudges it away towards mid-wicket for a single. That will be STUMPS ON DAY 2!

Aggressive stuff from Alzarri Joseph here. A sharp bumper, bowled right over middle and at 140.6 kph. TH ducks under it otherwise, it would have been some sweet chin music.

Short of a good length and around off, Alzarri really bowls a heavy ball and angles it in. Travis Head knocks it down just into the off side and thinks about the single but decides against it.

Back of a length, angling in, just outside off, Head hops on the back foot and blocks it into the off side.

Better this time! On a length, on middle, Head gets behind the line of the ball and blocks it.

Full and outside off, Travis Head initially shapes up to drive, but then bails out at the last moment, Ian Bishop, who is at the ropes, to interview the player of the day, is chatting with the cameraman and is directly in line of Head's eyesight. That distracts the South Australian and he lets the umpire know about it, asking Bishop to move away from there.

Should be the final over of the day.

Hits the hard length and bowls it straight on middle, Beau Webster gets his hands out in front of the pads and keeps it out.

Similar line and length, a tad shorter and straighter on off. Webster plays it off the back foot towards cover-point again.

Back of a length and outside off, Beau Webster presses back up on his toes and punches it square towards cover-point.

A touch full on middle leg, Beau pushes it to mid on.

Looks like that has stung Travis Head. Or it is just smart batsmanship, with around 8 minutes left for close. The umpires are hovering around, asking Head to hurry up as the physio is called out to the middle. Seems like he has been hit on that left knuckle, probably struggling a bit to make a fist. Head seems to be in no real hurry to get going and that's 3 minutes taken off the timer. Nearly an over taken off. All ready now.

Oh, that must have hurt! Now a length ball that rises sharply. Head looks to block it and is taken aback by the extra bounce as the ball hits his gloves and goes in the air, but luckily for Head, it goes wide of cover-point. The batters take a single.

Oh! Almost another one! Length ball angled in on off, that one stayed a touch low. Head did well to get his bat down in time as the ball takes the inside edge and goes past the leg stump. Head doesn't know where the ball is as he looks for a single, but Beau Webster sends him back. Oh, Shamar Joseph has overstepped. So it wouldn't have mattered if the ball would have hit the stumps.