2nd Test, Day 3: Steve Smith Guides Australia To Healthy Position At Stumps vs West Indies

Steve Smith guided Australia to a wholesome place as they reached 60-2 at stumps on the third day of the second Test towards the West Indies in Brisbane on Saturday. Australia want one other 156 runs for victory to take a clear sweep of the two-Test sequence with eight wickets in hand. At stumps, Smith was on 33 with a struggling Cameron Green alongside him on 9. Australia’s hopes of taking the win, nevertheless, could also be hampered by predicted heavy rain for the subsequent two days.

Australia had wrapped up the West Indian second innings for 193 shortly after the tea break when No.11 Shamar Joseph needed to retire harm after being hit on the toe by a Mitchell Starc bouncer.

Joseph was taken for scans on Saturday evening and is unlikely to bowl within the second innings.

The West Indies went into the ultimate session six wickets down, however misplaced the final fours, together with Joseph, for simply 10 runs.

Chasing 216 for victory, Australia misplaced an early wicket when Usman Khawaja was caught down the leg facet off Alzarri Joseph.

Marnus Labuschagne, who has had a lean summer season, failed for the second time this match, edging Justin Greaves to 3rd slip the place Kevin Sinclair took a pointy catch to go away Australia 42-2.

On an oppressively scorching and humid afternoon in Brisbane, Australia’s tempo bowlers have been compelled into three-over spells all through the day, adopted by day without work the sector to get well.

Every time a harmful partnership began to develop, Australia managed to take a wicket to maintain the deficit in test.

After resuming Saturday at 13-1, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and No.3 Kirk McKenzie have been intent on holding the Australians within the discipline so long as attainable. 

McKenzie specifically appeared in nice contact as he punished something free from the Australian tempo assault.

Brathwaite was not as fluent and after scraping his technique to 16, he performed a poor shot to an innocuous Green supply and chipped a easy catch to Labuschagne at cowl.

However, he and McKenzie had placed on a 50-run partnership to put basis for the guests.

McKenzie has had tour and the fashionable left-hander moved comfortably to 41 earlier than he tried to comb off-spinner Nathan Lyon and was trapped leg earlier than, leaving the West Indies 86-3.

Alick Athanaze and Kavem Hodge consolidated and reached the primary break with few troubles.

Lyon struck once more after dinner, drawing an edge from Athanaze (35) earlier than an excellent piece of fielding from Travis Head noticed Hodge run out for 29.

Hodge moved ahead and performed the ball straight to Head at brief leg, who flicked the ball onto the stumps and though Hodge’s bat was over the road, it had bounced up and was within the air when the stumps have been damaged.

First innings top-scorer Joshua Da Silva did not final lengthy, caught by Green on the second try off Starc to go away the West Indies 157-6, 179 runs in entrance.

But any hope of setting a extremely large goal pale with the post-tea collapse.

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