Shamar Joseph is terrorising Australia yet again, with the West Indies seamer ripping through Australia’s inexperienced top order on day one of the Frank Worrell Trophy series opener in Bridgetown.
The tourists are 6-138 at tea after Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat first at Kensington Oval, with vice-captain Travis Head (59*) unbeaten in the middle.
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Earlier, Sam Konstas’ highly-anticipated return to the Test arena only lasted 14 deliveries, with Joseph producing a well-directed in-ducker that thudded into the teenage opener’s pads. West Indies captain Roston Chase successfully overturned the on-field decision of not out, with ball-tracking technology suggesting the ball would have struck leg stump.
Joseph should have been celebrating a second breakthrough two deliveries later when Cameron Green flashed at a wide delivery and picked out gully, but West Indies debutant Brandon King grassed a regulation chance that thudded into his chest.
The blunder didn’t prove too costly, however, with Green falling victim to Joseph a few overs later for 3. The tall West Australian departed in almost identical fashion to his twin dismissals during the recent World Test Championship final against South Africa, pressing forward with hard hands and edging towards the slips cordon.
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Despite Joseph’s brilliance, dropped catches continued to plague the West Indies fielders, with Chase putting down a simple chance at first slip to gift Khawaja an extra life on 6.
Australia was suddenly reeling at 3-22 when the recalled Josh Inglis top-edged an ill-judged pull shot against paceman Jayden Seales, with wicketkeeper Shai Hope settling underneath the Dukes ball.
Runs proved hard to come by on the unpredictable surface – the Australians didn’t hit a boundary until the 16th over, while Khawaja needed 45 deliveries to achieve the feat, nailing a hook shot into the stands. However, the scoring tempo accelerated after lunch courtesy of a trademark counterpunch from Head, who raced towards fifty in just 57 deliveries.
Khawaja and Head combined for an 89-run partnership for the fourth wicket to briefly swing momentum back in Australia’s favour before Joseph returned for another damaging spell following the drinks break.
The Guyana product broke the ominous stand when Khawaja feathered a bottom edge through to wicketkeeper Shai Hope, trudging off for 47. Not long after, Joseph knocked over all-rounder Beau Webster with an absolute peach that nipped away on a good length and crashed into off stump, gone for 11.
Drama erupted late in the afternoon session when Head, unbeaten on 52 at the time, seemingly snicked behind to the wicketkeeper, only for third umpire Adrian Holdstock to adjudicate that Hope hadn’t taken a clean catch, denying Joseph a fifth wicket.
On what proved the last delivery before tea, Chase held onto a smart chance at slip to send Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey back to the sheds for 8, with Seales claiming his second scalp.
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Cameron Green is the “long-term option” to bat at number three for Australia, Pat Cummins said, after the captain named his team for the opening Test against the West Indies in Barbados.
Green scored only four runs and faced just five balls in the World Test Championship final defeat against South Africa this month after being elevated to come in at the fall of the first wicket.
But Cummins told reporters in Barbados that Green would retain his place in the batting order, with Josh Inglis at number four while Steve Smith recovers from a finger injury.
“We always like to not have too many moving parts,” Cummins said. “We see (Green at three) as a long-term option. He’s hitting the ball really well.
“He had a Test match where it didn’t go to plan. The message is not to look into that too much.
“We’re really happy with where his game is placed and I dare say he’ll get a decent run at number three.”
The recalled 19-year-old Sam Konstas will open alongside Usman Khawaja, after it was previously announced that Marnus Labuschagne had been dropped.
“Sammy is obviously an opener and the available spot for Josh this week is at number four,” added Cummins.
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Australia have retained the same bowling attack that played in the defeat to South Africa, with just one specialist spinner in Nathan Lyon.
“We don’t really know what to expect but it feels like the three quicks are better suited for this wicket,” fast bowler Cummins said.
“I think it’ll be a pretty good wicket with maybe a little bit of spin later on in the game, (but) honestly, I’ve got no idea.”
A new-look West Indies will also line up with three quick bowlers in Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales.
Roston Chase, who has replaced Kraigg Brathwaite as captain and will be playing his first Test in more than two years, has two spinners at his disposal.
Chase said he hoped the visitors were “still hurting” from Shamar Joseph’s seven-wicket haul in their shock win at Brisbane’s Gabba in January 2024.
“I hope there are some scars,” Chase told reporters.
New red-ball coach Darren Sammy completely overhauled the playing squad. The West Indies team contains just four players from the eight-run win at the Gabba and just three survivors from their last Test, against Pakistan in January.
Explosive Twenty20 batsman Brandon King will make his Test debut and white-ball captain Shai Hope returns to the longest format for the first time since 2021.
Opening batsman John Campbell is back after three years in the Test wilderness.
“It’s a new era and a fresh start and a new World Test Championship cycle,” said Chase.
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
West Indies XI: Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Brandon King, Roston Chase (c), Shai Hope (wk), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales
Tour of the West Indies
First Test: June 25-29, Bridgetown, Barbados (from midnight AEST, ie morning of June 26)
Second Test: July 3-7, St George’s, Grenada (from midnight AEST, ie morning of July 4)
Third Test: July 13-17, Kingston, Jamaica (from 4:30am AEST)
Session times for first two Tests
First Session: 10am – 12pm local (12am – 2am AEST, next day)
Second Session: 12.40pm – 2.40pm local (2.40am – 4.40am AEST, next day)
Third Session: 3pm – 5pm local (5am – 7am AEST, next day)