Joseph gives West Indies hope

The 24-year-old newcomer, Shamar Joseph propped up West Indies with bat and ball against the hosts and world champions Australia in the first Test.

He was one of only two batsmen who passed 20 for the West Indies side after they were put in to bat and were bowled out for 188 just after tea on the first day of the match.

He then took Steve Smith for 12 and Marnus Labuschagne for 10 to end the day with 2 for 18 from his six overs. The Australians reached 59 for 2 at the close with opener Usman Khawaja not out on 30 and Cameron Green not out on six.

Joseph made 36, batting at 11, to extend the innings of the Caribbean side in a 55-run, last-wicket stand with pacer Kemar Roach. Kirk McKenzie hit a top score of 50 in defiance of the Australia fast-bowling duo of captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.

After Roach and vice-captain Alzarri Joseph were ineffective in their opening spells, newcomer Shamar Joseph got the breakthrough for West Indies with his first ball in Tests.

He had the former Australia captain Steve Smith caught by Justin Greaves, another newcomer, low at third slip.

“Getting Steve Smith, I’ll remember this for the rest of my life,” newcomer Joseph told reporters.

“I’ll take a picture and post it up in my house.

“If I could have run (into the stands), I would have. It was really a joy for me.”

Joseph followed up with Labuschagne caught at deep fine leg in his fourth over and had the Australians wobbling on 45 for 2 before Khawaja and Green batted to the close.

Vice-captain Alzarri was enraged in his first over when wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva, dropped Khawaja in the second over of the Australian reply when the batsman, on three, edged a loose drive.

Newcomer Joseph was the only bright spark for West Indies after they endured another batting capitulation that leaves them under pressure for the remaining four days of the contest.

West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite bats during play on day two of the first cricket Test between the West Indies and New Zealand in Hamilton, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 4, 2020. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP, file)

They sunk to 64 for t3 at lunch after Cummins grabbed the wickets of openers, Tagenarine Chanderpaul for six, caught by Green, and their captain Kraigg Brathwaite was bowled for 13. Hazlewood took Alick Athanaze for the same score in a second spell.

West Indies were wobbling on 52 for 3, and Kavem Hodge, the other newcomer, made 12, but the three wickets of Hodge, McKenzie and Greaves, all to Hazlewood, fell for 10 in the span of 26 balls and West Indies were reeling on 108 for 6.

Da Silva was caught at deep square leg for six off Cummins and sparked another slide.

Seven balls later, Gudakesh Motie was caught off Starc for one, and two balls later, Alzarri Joseph was caught off Cummins for 14, and West Indies were on 133 for nine.

Newcomer Joseph came to the crease and reached his highest first-class score, with solid support from Roach to carry the Caribbean side to 177 for nine before he was trapped lbw to Lyon in the fourth over after the break.

Cummins was the pick of his side’s bowlers, taking four for 41 from 17 overs, and Hazlewood finished with four for 44 from 15 overs.