On the captivating Day 2 of the first Test between Australia and the West Indies in Adelaide, Travis Head’s exhilarating century and Josh Hazlewood’s stellar four-wicket haul in consecutive innings showcased a masterclass in cricket supremacy. Head, unfazed by Shamar Joseph’s impressive debut five-for, crafted his seventh Test hundred, propelling Australia to a commanding 95-run lead. Meanwhile, Hazlewood’s ruthless opening spell left Windies reeling at 73/6, trailing by an additional 22 runs at stumps.
Hazlewood’s bowling exhibition in the new-ball spell was nothing short of mesmerizing, boasting figures of 4-11 in just six overs. The Windies struggled to score off him, finally breaking the drought with a thick inside edge in his fifth over. The top order crumbled, with Chanderpaul, Brathwaite, Athanaze, and Hodge succumbing to Hazlewood’s brilliance, leaving the visitors at 7 for 3.
Despite the adversity, half-centurion Kirk McKenzie injected a glimmer of hope with a positive 35-ball innings. However, his promising stay ended abruptly when he mistimed a delivery to short-cover, leaving the Windies at 40/5. Justin Greaves and Joshua Da Silva then staged a resilient 33-run partnership, offering a brief resurgence before Lyon’s DRS intervention dismissed Greaves for 24.
Earlier in the day, Head’s century proved pivotal in setting the stage for Australia. Facing a challenging morning session, Head, along with the lower order, steered the hosts to a total of 283, establishing a lead despite Shamar Joseph’s commendable bowling efforts. The morning session saw West Indies claiming key wickets, but Head’s counterattack transformed the game.
The narrative unfolded as Australia steadily reduced their deficit, with Green, Khawaja, and Marsh falling in succession. Head, initially cautious, unleashed a barrage of shots post-Lunch, bringing up his century in style. A spectacular catch from Joshua Da Silva ended Alex Carey’s innings, but Head continued his onslaught. Alzarri Joseph’s offcutter finally dismissed Head for 119, just after Australia surpassed 250.
In the final session, Nathan Lyon held fort briefly, but Shamar Joseph’s fifer on debut and Cummins’ dismissal restricted Australia to 283. As stumps were drawn, the Windies found themselves 22 runs away from forcing Australia to bat again, with only four wickets remaining.
In essence, the day unfolded as a captivating cricket spectacle, featuring Head’s heroics and Hazlewood’s bowling brilliance, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the remaining chapters of this thrilling Test match.
Brief scores: West Indies 188 & 73/6 (Kirk McKenzie 26; Josh Hazlewood 4-18) trail Australia 283 (Travis Head 119; Shamar Joseph 5-94) by 22 runs
