Australia had a day of two halves against West Indies on Day 3 of the second and final Test match of the series. Despite the visitors doing well for the first one and a half sessions of the day, Australia clawed their way back into the game and now have put themselves in a strong position to clean sweep the series.
New Australia opener Steve Smith, played a fantastic knock of 33* late in the day and put Australia in pole position to win the Test match. Australia closed the day on 60/2 needing 156 runs to win the Test match.
Australia vs West Indies, 2nd Test: Day 3 Live Updates
Things were not that simple for Australia in the first half of the day as the pacers were left frustrated due to poor catching in the field. The team which is generally well known for its standards in the outfield fumbled simple chances and let the Windies put up 140/4. Kavem Hodge playing his second Test match looked comfortable after his half-century in the previous innings.
Change of Momentum
The 30-year-old had a brain-fade moment and was dismissed by Travis Head at short-leg, who ran the batter out. Hodge had flicked the ball to the leg side and had opted to steal a run, but in a moment of magic, Head caught the ball at short-leg and flicked the ball into the stumps to run the batter out.
Momentum changed from there on and the visiting team lost regular wickets. In fact the final four wickets (actually 3) came inside the final 10 runs as the West Indian tail failed to put in strong contributions like they did in the first innings of the match.
Starc Crushes Shamar’s Toe
The final wicket of the West Indian innings came in the form of a retired hurt dismissal when Mitchell Starc bowled a searing yorker into the legs of promising young pacer Shamar Joseph. Joseph winced in pain the minute the ball hit him on the toe and was carried off the pitch.
Opener Steve Smith Has Arrived
Steve Smith came out with aggressive intent against West Indies in the final hour of play under the lights. Smith put out an array of shots dominating the West Indies pacers to give Australia a rapid start. The hosts did lose the wicket of Usman Khawaja (edged down the leg side) and Marnus Labuschagne (edged to the slips) but were placed well with Steve Smith and Cameron Green still in the crease.
Australia will open the batting at 60/2 on Day 4 of the Test match and will need to score 156 more runs to win the Test match and clean sweep the series.