Australia appeared poised to wrap up the first cricket test against West Indies early, securing five second-innings wickets late on the second day at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
As the second day concluded, the Caribbean side found themselves at 73-6 in their second innings, still trailing Australia by 22 runs as they headed into Day 3 at the Adelaide Oval.
Travis Head played a pivotal role earlier, scoring 119 from 134 balls, contributing to Australia’s commanding position with a total of 283 runs and a first-innings lead of 95 runs.
West Indies’ Shamar Joseph claimed his third wicket on his debut, and Australia went to lunch on Thursday at 144-5, trailing the Caribbean side by 44 runs.
The 24-year-old Joseph, who had already made a mark on the opening day by dismissing Australian opener Steve Smith with his first ball in test cricket, continued his impact by getting Marnus Labuschagne out before stumps on Wednesday. On Thursday, Joseph added the wicket of the new No. 4 batter, Cameron Green, who scored 14.
Joseph, a pace bowler, had figures of 3-52 at the lunch break, showcasing his prowess in both bowling and batting, as he made 36 batting at No. 11 — the second-highest score in the visitor’s innings.
Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood each claimed four wickets, contributing to Australia’s efforts in restricting West Indies to 188 all out. Australia took full advantage of the Adelaide Oval pitch after winning the toss and opting to bowl first.
West Indies’ Challenge and Test Series Outlook
West Indies, aiming to break a long-standing drought without a test match win Down Under since February 1997, brought only five players who appeared in the two tests against Australia in 2022-23 and added seven uncapped players to the touring squad.
The second and final test in the series, a day-night match at the Gabba in Brisbane, is scheduled to commence on January 25.
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