Grenada [West Indies], July 5 (ANI): Australia held a slim 33-run lead on the finish of the primary innings after dismissing West Indies for 253, giving them a slight edge within the contest, in line with the official web site of ICC.
Australia needed to then bat six overs late within the day and West Indies quicks made essentially the most of it by eradicating openers Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja, leaving the match finely balanced heading into the subsequent day.
Windies skipper Roston Chase was happy with the ultimate section of play and the way his bowlers capitalised on the difficult night circumstances.
“Over this recreation and the final recreation, it is a development that you simply’re at all times getting wickets for the brand new ball,” he mentioned within the post-match press convention, as quoted from ICC.
“One thing’s at all times taking place with the brand new ball. So we had been keen and able to go on the market. And we all know that the fellows would not need to bat, clearly, in a night session, a few overs to go,” he added.
“It is most likely essentially the most difficult factor to bat as an opener. So, yeah, we simply needed to place the balls in the best space. And hopefully, we are able to get some wickets and we acquired two,” he famous.
The brand new ball sentiment was echoed by Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood, who emphasised that batting early will solely grow to be more difficult because the Take a look at match progresses.
“I believe any new ball from right here on in will likely be very arduous work. I believe the wicket most likely held collectively higher than I believed it will after it earlier than the sport,” mentioned Hazlewood.
“However once more, the softball does not do an excessive amount of of it. So, I believe, yeah, it’s going to be fascinating to see tomorrow how the wicket really performs and if it type of goes off a cliff or it simply regularly slowly will get more durable to bat. However I believe it positively will not get simpler to bat,” he famous.
Josh Hazlewood backed his teammate and younger opener Sam Konstas to seek out kind quickly regardless of a string of poor performances. The 19-year-old has managed simply 33 runs in 4 innings and was dismissed for a duck within the present innings.
“You are right here for a purpose. I assume you simply belief that. You are on this place since you’re an excellent participant,” Hazlewood mentioned in help of Konstas.
“Each time I’ve bowled to him in the previous couple of months [in the nets], he simply retains getting higher and higher, it looks like. He acquired thrown into a tricky state of affairs there,” he added.
“However we noticed within the first innings, he performed some very nice photographs, put some stress again on the bowlers. I believe he is handing over the best course. However it’s robust at 19,” he famous.
In some methods, the attacking intent anticipated from Konstas was higher embodied by West Indies batter Brandon King.
Regardless of having performed solely 4 first-class matches this home season with a median of 30.25, King was included within the aspect to take the assault to the opposition bowlers, and he delivered with a superb knock of 75 off 108 balls.
“He is an aggressive batsman. He likes to play his strokes,” mentioned skipper Chase.
“When he will get whiffed, he would rating. When the ball’s up, he would rating. So, yeah, we anticipate Brandon to be the kind of participant to attempt to put stress again onto the bowlers,” he famous.
“And he did that right this moment. When the ball was in his areas, he capitalized. And anytime the bowlers had been off, he made them pay. So, yeah, that is the sort of innings that we had been in search of from Brandon,” he mentioned. (ANI)
