Sign Up
..... Connect Australia with the world.
Categories

Posted: 2024-01-25 03:12:48

A determined partnership between Kavem Hodge and Josh Da Silva has slowed Australia's momentum on day one of the day-night Test against the West Indies at the Gabba.

The West Indies were firmly on the back foot when Hodge and Da Silva combined, having been rocked to 5-64 at the end of the first session.

But the pair batted together until nearly the last hour of the day, putting on 149 for the sixth wicket to drag the Windies back into the Test.

Da Silva was eventually dismissed for 79 from 157 balls, but Hodge carried on further into the night before departing for 71 from 194 balls as the West Indies closed play at 8-266.

Mitchell Starc was the chief destroyer early, taking three wickets — including his 350th in Test cricket — before the dinner break, but was ably supported by Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

Nathan Lyon toiled for large periods of the day, and seemed to be struggling at times with a hamstring issue, but was still able to remove Da Silva before stumps.

The late wickets of Hodge and Da Silva, as well as that of the dashing Alzarri Joseph with the last ball of the day, will have come as a relief for Australia, with the West Indies now in a position from which to compete in this Test.

Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog below, and see the full scorecard for all the stats.

Australia vs West Indies, day one

Stumps: West Indies 8-266 (Sinclair 16)

(Getty Images)

Well that was entertaining wasn't it?

A lovely fiery cameo at the end of the day from Alzarri Joseph, but the hard work was done by Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva.

So who will be happier?

I think, from 5-64, for the West Indies to still be batting tomorrow is a huge win for them.

But it looks a decent pitch to bat on and only the vagaries of the pink ball causing any issues for the batters.

All in all, a great day!

We'll be back for more tomorrow, thanks for being with us, from Dean and I, good night!

EDGED! TAKEN! AND A SEND OFF FROM HAZLWOOD!

(Getty Images)

Alzarri Joseph goes for an entertaining 32 off just 22 balls, a thick edge to Steve Smith at second slip.

It's 8-266.

90th over - The final over of the day!

I have no idea how the Aussies have caught up with the over rate, but here we are, bowling 90 overs in a day.

A fitting reward for the 23,602 supporters in the ground today.

FOUR! See Mitch, it's not personal. Joseph swings wildly and gets four, the ball going so high it almost plugs in the long off outfield before trickling over the rope, much to the chagrin of the chasing Marnus Labuschagne.

He ducks under the next, and then practices a scoop.

Hazlewood goes to the body, Joseph fends to short leg, thinks about a run and then says no.

89th over - Starc comes in again

SWING AND A MISS! Joseph tried to send that one into Moreton Bay with a massive swing that misses.

FOUR! Now he drives square up in the air to the point boundary!

FOUR! Up over the slips this time! Marsh and Smith both leaped in the air but neither could haul it in.

BEATEN! And Starc gives Joseph a stare that seems to say, how dare you treat my bowling with such disrespect as Joseph practices another golf swing.

A neat clip off his pads to deep square leg for a single - Starc has a word with Joseph as they pass.

Sinclair leaves well alone.

88th over - Cummins continues

BEATEN! Past the outside edge of Joseph.

APPEAL! That looked very high live and there's no interest in reviewing it.

EDGED! FOUR! Between third slip and gully, at pace, neither of them moved.

Now, to make matters worse, Marsh is nearly cleaned up from behind by one of the Australian bench throwing the ball back onto the field.

Nice shot! Another wonderfully held drive by Joseph, and they run three to long on.

Down the leg side, Marsh half-appeals from third slip, but nobody else does and that's over.

87th over - Starc steams in again

That one looked fast as it flew through to Carey, and it was, 144kph fast.

Sinclair clips to midwicket for no run.

Wild from Starc, Carey had to scoot across and take that to the right side of first slip Usman Khawaja, at head height. Just searching for a bit more pace on top of the pace he's already got.

FOUR! Lovely shot from Sinclair! He's holding the pose too! All the way down the pitch! That will endear him to Mitch Starc - hmmmm, perhaps not, but he got a lot of love from the press box for that audacity. The shot was nothing more than a push, but of exquisite quality and timing.

A bouncer, Sinclair gets out the way of it.

And now he defends a yorker.

The Aussies hurry between the overs to get as many in as they can before the close, which is in 10 minutes.

86th over - Pat Cummins comes into the attack

A short burst from the skipper.

Sinclair defends the first and then gets a single to point.

FOUR! A flash of the bt past gully and to the boundary from Joseph.

BEATEN! The ball moving away off the seam, past the straight bat of Joseph.

FOUR! All byes, down the leg side, Carey dived but couldn't collect this swinging ball.

FOUR! What a shot that is! A lofted, stand-and-deliver drive from outside off stump to wide long off. Lovely stroke from the number nine!

85th over - Starc carries on with four balls to come

BEATEN! Alzarri Joseph is the new man in and he's is beaten all ends up by a ripper from Starc rising outside off.

Great carry to Carey, Starc finding the extra pace up over 140kph with this second new ball.

FOUR! That's a lovely shot, Alzarri Joseph certainly shows flashes of real class with the bat, and that was that.

He leaves the last.

EDGED AND HE GOES! WHAT A BALL FROM STARC!

(Getty Images)

A leading edge from Kavem Hodge.

It seems as though he can't believe i, and he's hanging around for a bit - but unless it's a no ball there's nothing wrong with this.

A thick easing edge to second slip, Hodge goes for a delightfully gritty 71 off 194 balls.

West Indies faltering at 7-225.

85th over - Starc carries on

Hodge defends solidly on off stump.

It is his want, and ours too

Starc looking very dangerous with the new ball, as is his want.

- Doc

84th over - Hazlewood continues

Hodge defends the first and then scampers through for a single to mid off.

Down the leg side from Hazlewood, Sinclair watches the ball fly through all the way to the keeper.

He leaves the next nicely.

Now he tries to play the last ball down past gully, nicely guided but not accounting for Cameron Green's wide arms, as he dives and makes the stop.

83rd over - Starc continues

Sinclair has a swing and sends the ball to Green in isolation at gully on the bounce for a crowd catch.

Three slips and the gully in place.

BIG APPEAL! Sinclair is rapped on the pads - they opt against the review and a good thing too, replays showing the ball going well down leg side. Starc is getting swing into the right handers but has not got the line right for those deliveries to take LBW yet.

(Getty Images)

He is a bit wide on off stump this time, Sinclair leaves it alone.

82nd over - Hazlewood gets the ball at the other end

His economy so far has been 1.6 runs per over.

FOUR! Soft hands, along the ground through the slip cordon for a boundary, just wide of third slip Mitch Marsh.

The 24-year-old Guyanese lifts his arms high to leave that one alone.

He takes off for a quick single now after dropping the ball in the vacant short cover region. Good running.

Usman Khawaja named ICC Test cricketer of the year for 2023

(Getty Images)

Great news from the ICC, who have announced Usman Khawaja as their Test player of the year for 2023.

Fully deserved too, he scored 1,210 runs in 13 matches and helped Australia win the World Test Championship, retain the Ashes and a host of other matches.

81st over - Starc with the new ball

The crowd get engaged again, clapping Starc in just as they did 80 overs ago in the sun this afternoon.

Starc sends the first down the leg side and it keeps on going, drawing an excellent stop from Carey.

BIG APPEAL! Mostly from the crowd, it's true but that looked to be doing too much on first view. There is swing out there.

There are also three slips and a gully, Sinclair says he's seen enough of what a pink ball can do under lights thank you very much and gets off strike with a single, dropping the ball into the on side.

Hodge sees out the rest of the over without drama.

Here comes the new ball...

A shiny pink pomegranate is in the hand of Mitch Starc.

Meanwhile Nathan Lyon gingerly walks off down into the rooms.

80th over - Lyon carries on

Leg slip, slip and bat pad in place.

Sinclair pushes into the covers and takes off speedily - he'll get three runs here - that's excellent running.

Hodge defends.

Carey and Lyon both get briefly excited but there's nothing happening other than another defensive stroke from Hodge.

He gets back deep in his crease to defend again.

79th over - Head continues

More for over rate purposes than anything else you'd think.

Sinclair does not look entirely comfortable against Head's darts though.

BEATEN! And Carey is quick with the bails getting the crowd excited about a bowled chance.

He survives the rest of the over.

View More
  • 0 Comment(s)
Captcha Challenge
Reload Image
Type in the verification code above