A maiden Test fifty from Brandon King and a pair of late wickets from Jayden Seales helped the West Indies end day two of the second Test against Australia on a high at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada.
The hosts began Friday’s second day replying to Australia’s 286 all out in 66.5 overs on day one.
Just 11 balls into the second day’s play, the West Indies lost their first wicket as Kraigg Brathwaite, playing in his 100th Test, fell caught and bowled by Josh Hazlewood for a duck, continuing a poor run of form for the former Test skipper.
Keacy Carty came to the crease to join John Campbell and lasted just 12 balls before going in a similar fashion to Brathwaite, this time off the bowling of Australia skipper Pat Cummins.
In the midst of those two wickets, Campbell showed good patience on his way to 40 off 52 balls before an ill-advised shot off the bowling of Beau Webster saw his demise, leaving the hosts 64-3 two balls into the 16th over.
Brandon King and captain Roston Chase then provided some resistance, putting on 47 for the fourth wicket before Chase fell leg before wicket off Hazlewood for 16.
King, now partnered by Shai Hope, went on to bring up his maiden Test fifty in just his second game, becoming the 13th West Indian to get a score of 50 or more in all three formats.
They brought the score up to 169 before they fell in quick succession, Hope going to a beauty by Cummins for 21 in the 45th over before King fell caught behind off the bowling of Nathan Lyon for 75 two balls into the 46th over.
Justin Greaves fell for one, caught behind off Lyon, just five runs later to leave the score 174-7 off 48 overs.
Alzarri and Shamar Joseph then played well for 27 and 29, respectively, to provide some crucial lower order runs before they fell with the score on 225 and 237.
The last pair of Jayden Seales and Anderson Phillip added 16 before Travis Head dismissed Phillip for 10 in the 74th over to complete the innings.
Lyon finished with 3-75 from 19 overs while Hazlewood and Cummins finished with 2-43 from 14 overs and 2-46 from 16 overs, respectively.
With a lead of just 33, Australia’s second innings got off to the worst possible start when Sam Konstas was bowled for a duck by Jayden Seales off just the fourth ball of the innings.
Things got from bad to worse very quickly for Australia as Seales had Khawaja trapped in front for two in the third over with the score on just four.
At stumps, Australia limped to 12-2 in six overs, leading by 45 runs.
Summarized scores:
Australia 286 all out in 66.5 overs (Alex Carey 63, Beau Webster 60, Alzarri Joseph 4-61, Jayden Seales 2-45) & 12-2 in 6 overs (Jayden Seales 2-5)
West Indies 253 all out in 73.2 overs (Brandon King 75, John Campbell 40, Nathan Lyon 3-75, Josh Hazlewood 2-43, Pat Cummins 2-46).