“It’s funny when there are a couple of days of wickets, people just say it’s bad batting and not good bowling. So maybe just say it’s good bowling,” quipped Mitchell Starc as another day of relentless pace left Australia clinging to a slender lead against an inspired West Indies attack in Barbados.
By stumps on day two of the first Test, Australia were reeling at 92 for 4, leading by just 82 runs, with Travis Head (13*) and Beau Webster (19*) tasked with salvaging their innings on a treacherous surface that has already accounted for 28 wickets in two days.
West Indies coach Darren Sammy made no attempt to hide his excitement at the prospect of a famous win.
What’s the lead now? 82? I would love to chase 82. Maybe somebody could get a double hat-trick or something.
He was equally pleased with his bowlers’ discipline. “(We conceded) four runs per over in the last Test Championship. So we’re focused on bringing it down. We were just over three in the first innings and now 2.7 in the second. That balances the game,” he noted. “If we can get those last six wickets early up in the morning and put pressure on, we all know chasing on the last day could be hard.”
Earlier, the hosts scrapped their way to a slender 10-run first-innings lead thanks to a crucial stand between captain Roston Chase (44) and wicketkeeper Shai Hope (48).
The pair combined for a gritty 67-run partnership that lifted West Indies from 72 for 5, counter-attacking with aggressive strokes to keep Australia’s bowlers at bay. Hope, playing his first Test in over three years, struck boundaries off Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc before eventually falling two short of a half-century.
Australia were forced to lean on the Decision Review System to break partnerships, first removing Chase via an umpire’s call on LBW against Pat Cummins, then dismissing Hope on another tight review after he edged Webster on 48.
Despite losing their last five wickets for 28 runs to be bowled out for 190, the West Indies had just enough of a cushion to unleash their quicks again — and they did not disappoint.
Alzarri Joseph trapped Usman Khawaja LBW for 15 after Sam Konstas had been reprieved twice in the slips off Shamar Joseph’s venomous opening burst. Konstas eventually fell for 5, edging Justin Greaves behind.
Cameron Green looked to rebuild with Josh Inglis in a careful stand of 23 before Seales sneaked one through Inglis’s defences to clip off stump. Green survived two LBW reviews but was undone by Greaves, edging to Chase at slip for 15 as Australia slipped to 65/4.
Starc, who took 3 for 65 in the West Indies innings, felt the pitch remained unpredictable. “It’s an interesting wicket with the bare patches and grassy patches,” he explained. “Listening to the batters, they feel like it’s a wicket you’re never quite in on. It’s obviously been tough for batting across the two days.”
While Travis Head and Beau Webster survived the final exchanges, Australia know they will need a significant partnership to set West Indies a target that feels defendable on a deteriorating surface.
With two days to play and the hosts buoyed by momentum and discipline, Barbados could be witness to a memorable upset.
Brief Scores: Australia 180 & 92/4 in 33 overs (Usman Khawaja 15, Cameron Green 15, Beau Webster 19\*; Shamar Joseph 1-15, Alzarri Joseph 1-16) West Indies 190 all out in 63.2 overs (Shai Hope 48, Roston Chase 44; Mitchell Starc 3-65, Beau Webster 2-20). Australia lead by 82 runs.
