Seales, Shamar scythe through Australia before quicks return fire

Jun 26, 2025 Sports

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ESPNcricinfo – Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph shared nine wickets on the opening day in Barbados to increase the pressure on Australia’s faltering batting line-up, but the visitors’ quicks struck back to suggest another Test match that could unfold in fast forward on a surface that offered assistance for the seamers.

Australia’s reshaped top order slipped to 22 for 3 against new ball before Usman Khawaja, who was dropped twice on 6 and 45, and Travis Head added 89 as they threatened to take control. However, Khawaja’s dismissal to Shamar Joseph sparked a collapse of 7 for 69 which included Head for 59 after he’d been controversially reprieved by the third umpire who ruled a catch hadn’t carried to wicketkeeper Shai Hope.

Australia’s 180 was their lowest total in West Indies having chosen to bat first, and their lowest either way since 1995 in Trinidad. But while they have issues over the batting, the bowling attack remains formidable and the total grew in significance amid Mitchell Starc’s new-ball burst. He had former captain Kraigg Brathwaite, playing his 99th Test, edging low to second slip where Beau Webster held an excellent catch. He then shaped one away from the left-handed John Campbell to leave the hosts 16 for 2.

Keacy Carty and debutant Brandon King, who had earlier dropped three catches, mixed caution with positivity to see West Indies to within 20 minutes of the close. But Carty could do little against a delivery from Pat Cummins that kicked from short of a length and caught the shoulder of the bat on the way through to Alex Carey. Then nightwatcher Jomel Warrican couldn’t keep out an excellent delivery from Josh Hazlewood. At the moment, it would appear unwise to be making cricket-watching plans for the weekend.

Ahead of the game, just the second Test in six years at the ground, there was degree of uncertainty over what conditions would present. There was movement throughout while the occasional delivery also lifted sharply to challenge Cummins’ view at the toss that “it looks a pretty good wicket.”

Seales ended up edging the wickets tally, but Shamar Joseph was magnificent throughout: his first spell read 6-2-12-2 and his third 5-0-12-2. With better catching support from his team-mates – West Indies dropped four chances in the innings – he and not Seales would have had the five-wicket haul.

He bowled with pace, movement and occasionally some significant extra bounce. It took him just 10 balls to make his first impact, nipping one back at the recalled Sam Konstas to pin the 19-year-old lbw although the not out decision needed to be overturned by the DRS.

Cameron Green should have gone for a duck second ball when he edged a drive off the back foot, but King dropped a regulation chance at gully. Shamar Joseph then saw another chance go down when new captain Roston Chase spilled Khawaja at first slip.

Green went on to be given a torrid working over as he continued to find life tough at No. 3. Shamar Joseph regularly challenged the outside edge and then drew one which carried low to second slip.

Josh Inglis, filling in for the injured Steven Smith at No. 4, tried to take a positive option but top-edged a pull from outside off which Hope settled under to give Seales his first wicket. It was not until the end of the over in which Inglis fell, the 16th of the innings, that Australia struck their first boundary when Head opened his account with a strong drive although a slow outfield was partly to blame.

 

 

Khawaja then briefly went on the attack, pulling Alzarri Joseph for six and twice sending Seales through the off side, but there was never a great sense of permanency to his innings. Still, he and Head had repaired some of the early damage as they carried Australia through to lunch without further loss on 65 for 3.

Fortune favoured Khawaja after the break as he was beaten by Alzarri Joseph and edged through a gap in the slips. Head also slashed over the cordon as he took a typically positive approach which started to turn the tide in Australia’s favour as he brought up a 57-ball fifty.

Khawaja’s second life came when he slashed to gully on 45 where King was again the culprit, but this one didn’t cost West Indies too many as Shamar Joseph resumed his wicket-taking when Khawaja bottom-edged a pull. He then produced a magnificent delivery which completely squared up Webster and clipped the top of off stump.

In his next over Shamar Joseph thought he had his fifth wicket when Head edged through to Hope who took it very low and signaled his uncertainty to the square-leg umpire. The on-field officials went upstairs and, having seen the first replay, West Indies started celebrating only for it to be eventually ruled not out by Adrian Holdstock much to their bemusement – it did appear as though Hope’s fingers were under the ball.

Another wicket did fall before tea, Alex Carey edging Seales to first slip, and it became a clatter after the interval with Head flaying an edge to the keeper and Starc nicking to second slip. Cummins threw the bat to good effect for runs that, if the low-scoring nature of this match continues, could prove important before Seales wrapped up the innings for his third five-wicket haul.

Scores: West Indies 57 for 4 (King 23*, Starc 2-35) trail Australia 180 (Head 59, Seales 5-60, S Joseph 4-46) by 123 runs.

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• Jayden Seales, Mitchell Starc, Shamar Joseph, Travis Head, West Indies, West Indies vs Australia 2025

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