AUS vs WI 2nd Test: Australia fights back through Carey and Cummins fifties

Blistering half-centuries by Alex Carey and captain Pat Cummins led Australia’s charge on Day 2 of the day-night Test against the West Indies on Friday.

Carey hit 65 runs off 49 balls and Cummins finished unbeaten on 64 off 73 before declaring Australia’s first innings at 289-9 despite still trailing by 22. The decision to give his fast bowlers a chance to play with the pink rewarded for bowling the ball under light for half an hour.

Mitchell Starc almost had captain Kraigg Brathwaite dismissed in his second over, but Steve Smith dropped a low catch in the slips. Josh Hazlewood then found tenuous advantage from Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s bat in the latter part of the day as West Indies reached 13-1 at stumps in the second innings, giving an overall lead of 35 runs.

Usman Khawaja, who was named the ICC Test Player of the Year 2023 on Friday, played another meaningful knock of 75 after West Indies’ first innings of 311.

Carey provided most of the scoring with his aggressive shots as he stitched a 96-run partnership with Khawaja after West Indian fast bowlers Kemar Roach (3-47) and Alzarri Joseph (4-84) brought Australia back soon afterwards to 54-5. the first session.

Luck was not in young fast bowler Shamar Joseph’s favor and Australia could have been 72-6 but his quick delivery went through Carey’s defense and kissed the off bail which spun in its groove but did not fall to the ground.

Carey’s counter-attack, with nine fours and a six, eventually ended when he holed at deep square leg off Shamar Jospeh, but Cummins continued Australia’s aggression with another fruitful partnership of 81 with Khawaja.

Kirk McKenzie missed the stumps that could have missed Cummins before scoring in the first over of the final session and it cost the West Indies as the Australian captain hit eight fours, and a straight six off Roach.

Khawaja was eventually dismissed when he beat debutant spinner Kevin Sinclair in the slips, but Cummins made a quick 47 runs with Nathan Lyon before declaring as Lyon left Alazarri Joseph behind.

Earlier, Smith failed again as an opener and Australia slumped to 24-4 in the first session after West Indies took the first innings past the 300-run mark. Smith shuffled too far across his crease and was awarded lbw on review of the final ball of Roach’s first over. Marnus Labuschagne (3) was then caught in the next over.

Smith replaced the retired David Warner as opener for Australia, but scored only 12 runs in his first innings in that role in the first Test in Adelaide, which Australia won by 10 wickets.

Roach’s last two balls before the break provided more celebration for the West Indies.

Cameron Green (8) rode straight to Brathwaite at stud. Travis Head was well caught off the next ball down the leg side by Joshua Da Silva, leaving Roach with a hat-trick.

Earlier, a half-century on debut by offspinning all-rounder Sinclair took West Indies to a competitive first innings total. Sinclair (50) and veteran paceman Roach (eight) added 31 for the ninth wicket after the visitors resumed at 266-8.

First print: January 26, 2024 | 8:13 PM IST