It was a unprecedented closing session to finish the primary Take a look at in Barbados within the lengthy shadows of the third night. After two days of wobbles, a portion of Australia’s batting acquired its act collectively, with the lower-middle-order trio of Travis Head, Beau Webster, and Alex Carey making half centuries to carry Australia’s second innings to 310. That left West Indies needing 301 to win the primary Take a look at in Barbados, all the time unlikely on a Kensington Oval pitch that already had balls maintaining low. Josh Hazlewood made positive of it with a withering burst of 4-4 in 16 balls, later upping that to 5-23, as West Indies crashed humiliatingly to 141 all out, shedding by 159 runs.
Hazlewood has been the topic of some public consideration of late, given his damage absences and the way properly Scott Boland has carried out throughout every one. However the first-choice choice has 288 Take a look at wickets, took 35 of them at 13 final calendar 12 months, and has 9 at 18 within the two matches he has managed in 2025. His profession towards West Indies is value 43 at 15, and over two excursions to this a part of the world he has 19 wickets at 9.
His match-defining spell was constructed round his means to maintain placing the ball on precisely the best spot. After an unusually costly first three overs went for 18, Hazlewood had a short break and returned for the eleventh. West Indies had been going brightly at 47-1. Former captain Kraigg Brathwaite had flicked a catch from Mitchell Starc to sq. leg, however John Campbell and Keacy Carty had been scoring freely. Going through a line across the wicket, the left-handed Campbell gave up a present, a kneeling lap shot that lobbed to Carey behind the stumps.
The very subsequent ball, Hazlewood’s suffocating line acquired an inside edge onto pad from Brandon King, lobbing to slide, a golden duck to finish a grim debut for the person who dropped three catches within the first innings. The hat-trick didn’t observe, captain Roston Chase capable of go away simply outdoors off, however Hazlewood acquired him subsequent over, extra seam motion and one other inside edge to quick leg. Then much more jag an over later, and a contact of low bounce, as he knocked Carty’s stumps awry. He had 4 wickets for 23, West Indies had been 65-6, and the match was all however performed.
Pat Cummins adopted Hazlewood’s spell with one other lawnmower supply into Shai Hope’s stumps, however hope had already gone. Alzarri Joseph acquired a promotion after his late tonk within the first innings, however ran himself out with a sluggish response to a name from Justin Greaves, Marnus Labuschagne as a sub fielder hitting the stumps direct. Hazlewood returned from a short break for his fifth due to Jomel Warrican, who survived an lbw due to umpire’s name then nicked the following, making it 86-8 as additional time started.
It was a subsidence, however one within the anticipated course after Australia’s rating. In a match dominated by tempo, Head and Webster had been ready to make use of it to their benefit, scoring virtually totally sq. of the wicket on the off aspect, left-hander and right-hander alternating cowl drives and back-foot punches to reverse sides of the bottom. West Indies frustration mounted because the partnership reached 102, and it took a devilish second from the pitch to chop off Head for 61, lbw to a ball that just about went underground to hit his pad from across the wicket.
That was the primary of seven overs from Shamar Joseph both aspect of lunch, with the opposite finish of his spell getting Webster nicking down the leg aspect on evaluation for 63. Carey instantly hit the nitro, smacking Jayden Seales straight for 4 and 6 earlier than pulling one other 4 in the identical over. A second six adopted from Greaves, because the Australian keeper raised 50 in 40 balls.
With Cummins having skied a catch, Joseph returned to bowl Starc off the within edge. Fatigue was telling, with a rash of no-balls together with a large beamer, because the tail smacked a number of runs. His subsequent break lasted all of 4 overs, till Chase acquired Carey out neatly with a large sluggish off break lashed to lengthy off. With Joseph on 4 wickets as he had been within the first innings, he had one final probability to take 5, and as on the Gabba 18 months in the past, he completed an Australian innings by castling Hazlewood, this time without work a flailed backside edge. The bowler sank to his knees, pounding the pitch with one hand. In three Assessments towards Australia he has 22 wickets at 16.
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Nonetheless, with their outmatched batting, West Indies had given away way over that they had a reputable probability to chase. Not that Shamar Joseph would have anticipated to observe his five-for by having to exit and bat earlier than the top of the day, with the umpires extending past the additional half hour as a result of the required overs hadn’t been bowled.
He let loose some frustration, lashing 44 from 22 balls, and whereas aiming for a half-century in a single blow, edged Nathan Lyon to slide. That left three balls within the day, and Lyon solely wanted one. In gathering Friday nightfall, it was an hour and 13 minutes after the scheduled shut when Seales was caught by Sam Konstas at bat-pad – a chastening finish for West Indies, and a dramatic turnaround for Australia. West Indies authorities had been determined for this match to achieve the weekend to get some crowds into the social gathering stand. As an alternative, everybody will hit the seaside.
