BRIDGETOWN — West Indies produced a stunning bowling performance to bowl Australia out for just 180 on a chaotic opening day of the first Test at Kensington Oval, but the hosts' batting faltered late as 14 wickets tumbled in a dramatic session of cricket.
Australia Collapse After Early Promise
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Australia started confidently with openers Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith putting on 50 runs for the first wicket. However, the introduction of West Indies' pace attack turned the game on its head. "We knew if we stuck to our plans, we could create chances," said West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite in the post-match press conference.
The collapse began when Alzarri Joseph trapped Khawaja LBW for 33, sparking a procession of Australian wickets:
- Smith (25) caught behind off Kemar Roach
- Marnus Labuschagne (3) bowled by Joseph
- Travis Head (8) caught at slip off Shamar Joseph
Only Alex Carey (34) and Pat Cummins (19) offered meaningful resistance as the last six wickets fell for just 48 runs. "We let ourselves down with the bat today," admitted Australian coach Andrew McDonald.
West Indies Bowlers Dominate
The West Indies pace quartet shared the spoils on a pitch offering consistent bounce and movement:
- Alzarri Joseph: 3/38 (12 overs)
- Kemar Roach: 2/36 (10 overs)
- Shamar Joseph: 2/42 (9 overs)
- Jason Holder: 1/24 (8 overs)
"The bowlers executed perfectly today," said Brathwaite. "We've been working hard on our discipline and it paid off."
Australia Strike Back Late
West Indies' reply started disastrously as Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc reduced them to 25/3 inside 10 overs. Tagenarine Chanderpaul (12) fell LBW to Hazlewood, while Brathwaite (4) and Kirk McKenzie (0) both edged Starc to the slips.
Alick Athanaze (20*) and Kavem Hodge (12*) steadied the ship somewhat, taking West Indies to 68/3 at stumps, still trailing by 112 runs. "We've got a big morning session coming up," noted Cummins. "If we can get a couple early, we're right back in this."
Day One Statistics
The dramatic day saw several notable milestones and records:
- Australia's lowest first innings total in the Caribbean since 1999
- West Indies' best bowling performance against Australia since 2015
- 14 wickets fell in just 78 overs of play
Looking Ahead to Day Two
With the match delicately poised, both teams recognize the importance of the first session on day two. "We need to bat smart tomorrow," said Athanaze. "The pitch is doing a bit but if we can get through that new ball, there are runs to be had."
For Australia, Cummins emphasized the need for early breakthroughs: "We saw today how quickly things can happen on this pitch. One good spell could change everything."
Weather forecasts suggest another full day's play is possible, with partly cloudy conditions expected. The historic Kensington Oval pitch, known for its pace and bounce, has already shown its potential to produce an exciting contest between bat and ball.
With West Indies needing another 113 runs to avoid the follow-on and Australia looking to capitalize on their late momentum, day two promises to be just as compelling as this dramatic opening day in Bridgetown.