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Australia dominant both bat and ball throughout Day 2 yesterday v West Indies at Adelaide Oval

by Sports Benches

Lots to look back on Day 2 of the 2nd Test yesterday starting off with Australia’s continuous run chase from 300-3, where Marnus Labuschagne & Travis Head continued to shine for most of the 1st session after an excellent opening day shift that saw them hang in there & pile up runs for longer periods of time.

But their time in the middle has eventually came to an end in between towards the afternoon break & the early stages of the middle session; one was Marnus being caught behind by Joshua Da Silva off Devon Thomas not long before lunch on 163, and another was where Head couldn’t get back home on time as the non-striker that saw him being ran out by Da Silva on 175.

Then WI profited a few quick wickets through the tail order. Although keeper Alex Carey was the notable exception that kept Australia on the up with runs on the board; he too scored a quickfire 54-ball 41 before fill-in Captain Steve Smith declared at 511-7 for Australia. We would’ve loved to see him cap off with a Test 50 but played really well nonetheless.

And we fast forward to the 2nd innings play where Michael Neser fired off with back-to-back early wickets for the Aussies before that momentum helped them collect another two wickets by the end of Day 2, as WI will resume on 102-4 & 409 run trail going into Day 3 later this afternoon – with Tagenarine Chanderpaul on 47* & Anderson Phillip on 1*.

Hats off to Neser when he bowled a straight line & length that left Kraigg Braithwaite (19) & Sharmahr Brooks (8) straight back upstarts where their bats were knicked straight to Carey’s gloves. Same goes to Nathan Lyon with his caught & ball effort on Jermaine Blackwood (3), and nice to see Green get his wicket with a good bounce targeting off stump that saw Thomas (19) chopped on through the gate.

They’ve got this now to finish off the other WI batting card ASAP, while WI will want Tagenarine to hang in there with some back up at the other end. Otherwise, they will look for their tail enders again to try & fire it up downtown – If that’s the only way to turn themselves around like last week.

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Marnus Labuschagne puts another classy ton while Travis Head went one better in front of his home crowd at Adelaide Oval for Australia on Day 1 of the 2nd Test v West Indies

by Sports Benches

Great start by the Aussies when they batted well throughout the opening day of the 2nd Test v West Indies at Adelaide Oval – thanks to their winning toss that puts them to pad up & bat first, as they will resume on 300-3 going into Day 2 later today at 3pm AEDT.

The Windies got away with an early advantage when David Warner‘s dipped downhill yet again, after he was caught behind by Joshua Da Silva’s gloves at the hands of Alzarri Joseph on 21. Meanwhile, Warner’s other opening partner in Usman Khawaja scored another decent half-knock well into the first half of the day, including after the first 40-minute afternoon break interval. 

Then WI struck back-to-back wickets in quick succession; one was an LBW when Devon Thomas dismissed Khawaja on 62 – even though Khawaja appealed the DRS review promptly & it wasn’t successful via umpire’s call, and another was a duck from Steve Smith after eight balls – thanks to a caught & bowl effort by Jason Holder.

But that doesn’t affect Australia’s batting progress too much when Marnus Labuschagne once again played another classy hundred for the third straight time so far in this series v WI, while Travis Head went one better this time with his 5th Test hundred in front of his hometown crowd, after he was so unlucky to be dismissed on 99 during the 2nd innings spell in Perth last week. Both players put Australia in a secure position just past the 300 mark, as Labuschagne & Head are still standing on 120* & 114* respectively. We’ve gotta say that it was tremendous to see them play at the highest level and stake their claims there, with Marnus locked up at first-drop for a long-time just like Ricky Ponting; And although Travis Head may have some dips in form along the way especially over the last 12 months, but again his class is permanent as his century yesterday shows that he wants to be batting at No.5 over the next few years like Marnus, having both been thrown into the deep end back in late 2018 v Pakistan while Australia were going through a dark period at the time thanks to the sandpaper gate in South Africa that led to the year-long bans of Steve Smith & Dave Warner. Speaking more of sandpaper gate, South Africa will be back playing here for three more Tests v Australia after this Test match concludes in a few days starting next Saturday at the Gabba in Brisbane.

For now, The Aussies has to keep up the good work they’re doing right now & bat for another half day before they declare & bring the bowlers in to start dismantling the WI batting card one-by-one, especially when WI opening & lower-order areas were so good to watch spells last week. So they need to get ready as soon as the opposition comes sometime later today/tonight and get them out ASAP. And WI better get the job done after a rough day out yesterday with the ball. Yes, their batting can be on par with the Aussies but needs support from their bowlers to limit as low as possible before WI can stand up for themselves & put up a good battle of Test Cricket.

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Australia leads the way by a comfortable margin through three stellar batting knocks but West Indies not bad with no wicket falls so far after Day 2 yesterday 

by Sports Benches

Australia continued to build on such a huge lead for most of Day 2 yesterday where they left off from 293-2, thanks to three brilliant knocks made with the bat here at Optus Stadium in Perth. Marnus Labuschagne got his 2nd double test ton which is sensational to watch over the last day and a half – before he was caught behind shortly after on 204 by Joshua Da Silva from Kraigg Braithwaite’s off spin. 

Meanwhile, his double act Steve Smith returned to top form in a another stellar double ton that relfected Australia’s high-sky spell with the bat, as well as the partnership he & Marnus formed at the crease together. Plus, hats off to Travis Head who played really well on 99 – even though he was unlucky to be out by just one run off a potential Test 100 through the stumps also by Braithwaite. He may have been inconsistent at times over the last 12 months, but Head always have class on his side at age 28 right now that would hopefully see him stay at No.5 for another few years with the Baggy Green.

Fast forward to the 2nd innings play when Skipper Pat Cummins declared on 598-3 for Australia right after Head’s unlucky dismissal, West Indies fired off not bad with no wickets being fallen though tea & stumps on 67-0. Kraigg Braithwaite will pick up on 18 not out following his all-round display yesterday with the ball by looking to back up & hang in there, while Tagenarine Chanderpaul – who is the son of his famous father Shivnarine – has been extraordinary so far when smacking it at the other end with a few fours & one six on 47 not out. 

So the Windies may have escaped an early DRS appeal but there’s still a lot more catch-up when trying to shave down a huge run trail. However, as long as they stick to these simple basics approach planted right from the beginning, then we’ll never know where they will end up going into the final two days this weekend. And as for Australia, they should come off a hard-earned rest by being ready to do some damage with the ball & dismantle the whole Windies batting XI ASAP, after they couldn’t get away with no early wickets being taken towards the end of Day 2. It’s going to be either Australia’s brilliant restart with the ball or the Windies’s continued red-hot start that could go a long, long way when Test Cricket will resume later on Day 3 today.

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Test Cricket News: Marnus Labuschagne’s stellar knock accompanied by Steve Smith puts Australia closer to 300 on Day 1 of the 1st Test v West Indies

by Sports Benches

What a way to wrap the first day back of the new Australian Test Cricket season here at Optus Stadium in Perth, as Australia will pick up on Day 2 at 293-2 v West Indies.

Yes, the start has been been shaky having won the toss & chose to bat first when Dave Warner was clean-bowled early by Jayden Seales, while Usman Khawaja wasn’t bad as the other left-hand opener that helped Australia get the ball rolling until he was caught behind on 65 by Joshua Da Silva off Kyle Mayers. 

However, Marnus Labuschagne – who is our main man right now – has been exceptional all along since he came in after Warner’s early dismissal at No.3. 

Not only he got away with a half-century but also converted into a century before he’s still standing right now, having just got past the 150 mark on 154* runs not out off 270 balls. So much class there from a player who continues to make the first-drop role on his own – which has been happening for the last three years since he was thrown at the deep end after Steve Smith’s concussion at the time v England (away).

Speaking of Smith, he too played a supportive role of Labuschagne & also Australia’s turnaround during the second half of Day 1 with a 50 for himself. He will look to try and convert into another Test 100 on 59* not out off 107 balls. 

So staying a bit longer in the middle to see both Smith & Labuschagne a 100 & 200 respectively would be nice to declare Australia’s first-innings spell, before they delcare at some point on Day 2 & bring the bowlers in to do damage so they’re a few steps ahead towards wrapping up this Test match 1-0.

Meanwhile, West Indies have been stuck in a rut ever since they got away with Warner earlier yesterday. Splitting the Labuschagne-Smith stand would brighten up the start of Day 2 after a much-needed rest overnight, but then they will need to dig deeper when WI look to bowl them all out first ASAP before they will get tested with the bat where is the jury is on them to match & better Australia’s 1st innings scorecard.

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