Australia v West Indies 2024: First Test Adelaide – Day 2: Windies blown away by Hurricane Hazle
The Windies surprised us yesterday and they have started the second day in the same vein.
After two cracking fours by Green off Shamar Joseph, the man of the moment gets his man. Green (14) tentively pushes at Shamar for keeper Da Silva to take a simple catch.
The Australian selectors are already in a huddle. A certain journalist from Sydney will be feeling well pleased with his story written last weekend in the SMH!
A very solemn crowd at this stage of the morning who will be hoping the two ‘molly-dookers’ in Head and Khawaja will restore the ship back on an even keel. The ‘lefties’ might be able to counter ‘Shazam Shamar’ better than the ‘righties’ have done so far.
So far the ball has not been steepling like it was yesterday and the pace of the wicket a tad slower.
Head and Uzzie looked sound particularly when the shorter ball came of slower. Not to be denied though the bowlers came back and 2 relative cricket wickets Khawaja (45) and Marsh (5) both taken with good slips catches and the Windies were right in the game.
Somehow I have this feeling that the Australian batters have not got their mind on the game 100%.
Eighty five runs and 3 good wickets was a winning session for the visitors and they are playing with great spirit for a bunch of blokes who hardly know one another.
The two Croweaters, Head and Carey, settle in well after lunch much to the delight of this partisan crowd. Over the years at The Oval I have observed that the a Croweater, male variety, dresses better than the average Australian male and they have exceptional suntan. My conclusions from that are (a) they come from wealthy forebears and (b) they have not had too work hard and can spend more time in the sun.
Unlike the rest of us who come from a convict background ‘life was meant to be easy’.
Carey (15) gets one from Greaves that moves sharply across him and Da Silva does the rest. I like the look of Justin Greaves he bowls and catches well. At 29 it is a late start to at test career but if he can put bat to ball in the second dig there is no reason for him not to become a permanent fixture.
Head is delighting ‘his’ crowd with some fine aggressive shots all around the ground. As he nears his century at the other end Starc (10) gets a nasty one from Shazam Shamaz (SS) that he fends to silly mid on. Australia 7/222.
SS has certainly been the find of this match and his future looks extremely bright.
Head reaches his 100 (122 balls, 12 fours and 1 six) and takes to Ss with two mighty sixes in to the member’s pavilion. It as been a superb knock full of aggression and strokes to every corner of the oval.
The crowd give their local hero a rousing acknowledgement of his display with the willow.
On his departure on 119, trying to hit another 6, he is well caught by Hodge right on the boundary. More rousing applause, Australia 8/255.
A good session for the crowd and Australia. Three wickets and 116 runs leaves the home side 72 runs in front with 2 wickets to fall.
Lyon is dropped on resumption of play and the visitors pay dearly as he goes on to make 24 before
SS cleans him up.
Shazam Shamas Joseph has taken 5 wickets on debut! The reception he gets and his bow back at the crowd is a delight.
Cummins goes next ball, bowled by Roach and Australia all out for 283. A lead of 95 runs. S.Joseph 5/94, Roach 2/48 and Greaves 2/36.
With one innings completed by both teams in five and a half sessions the game certainly will not go to five days but the crowds so far have had their monies worth particularly with Travis Head’s century and ‘Shazam’ Shamas Joseph’s fine debut with the ball.
Starc, who did not impress in WI’s first innings will be keen to atone for that effort. Unfortunately for him it is Hazlewood who is on the money and both openers are gone with only 1 run on the board. Hazlewood 2/0
It certainly won’t go five days now.
This is carnage! Just what we aficianados did not want.
Windies 3/7 and Hazlewood has 3/0
It will be the first ball of his fourth over that the batters make a run. True to form he has Hodge (3) caught by SPD. Hazlewood 4/2 and the West Indies 4/19.
McKenzie who made 50 in the first innings looks sound again and has played a couple of handsome drives from Cummins. He will need to play afew more handsome drives to get his team out of this mess.
I am afraid to say he doesn’t as he holes out to Marnus from the bowling of Green for 26 and it could be all over tonight.
Greaves is batting confidently and will come out of the match with an elephant stamp as will Shamas Joseph. Da Silva is also stemming the tide as well from the other end.
It is uncanny how you write something and it turns the heads upside down. Last over of the day Greaves is hit on the pad. The umpire gives it not out. Australia’s 3 wise men Cummins, Lyon and Carey discuss get a DRS and then get the DRS. Greaves LBW for 26. West indies 6/73 at stumps. Hazlewood 4/18 Green 1/9 and Lyon 1/3.
Fourteen wickets have fallen today and Australia will wrap the game up on Friday when they dismiss the last four batters.
23,698 people have again enjoyed a day of cricket where the ball has dominated except for Head’s superb hundred.
More from Citrus Bob can be read Here
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About Bob Utber
At 84 years of age Citrus Bob is doing what he has always done since growing up on a small farm at Lang Lang. Talking, watching and writing sport and in recent years writing books. He lives in Mildura with his very considerate wife (Jenny) and a groodle named 'Chloe on Flinders' and can be found at Deakin 27 every day.
Thanks for these reports CB. While I enjoyed Head’s century and Hazlewood’s bowling these joys were fleeting against the despair I feel for West Indian cricket and Test cricket’s future. Still, while I attend and watch on TV the BBL, I’m complicit in this slow death. Anyhow, it was good to have the week off!
Thanks Bob. I must confess I suspected our quicks to tear through the Windies batters so no surprises there. However, to me, and I guess many others, the most exciting thing, apart from Head’s entertaining century, was the outstanding debut by S Joseph. Firstly batting well at number 11 and then brilliant bowling, trapping Smith with his first delivery in test cricket and then going on to collect 5 wickets. Hope this youngster does well in the upcoming test.
MR – How true I even felt pain and sorry for them when they went out to field. Does nt of course help Test cricket one iota but then as I say time and time again – no thanks India, Australia and England for your greed.
Interesting that all three countries start with a vowel? Any time having a week off is GOOD!
FISHO – ”Shazam Shahar” Joseph looked like a West Indian of the past. As good a debut as one would ever see. I hope he does not get gobbled up by some T20 franchise. Even the ball that hit Uzzie said something. Will watch him closely but don’t expect too much in Brisbane.