West Indies beat Australia, win away Test after 24 years

West Indies pace bowler Shamar Joseph wasn’t expected to bowl in the morning on Sunday, the fourth day of the second Test against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane.

The right-arm pace bowler was injured on the third day and was not expected to travel with the team on the fourth morning.

“I was not planning to come to the ground and had planned to stay back in the hotel. However, it was decided that I should travel to the ground and support the team from the dressing room. But the doctor did something magical with my toe in the dressing room that I was fit enough to bowl,” said Guyanese Shamar Joseph who took 7/68 on fourth day to help West Indies win the second Test at Australia’s stronghold Gabba by eight runs and draw the two-Test series at 1-1.

The pink-ball Test see-sawed with West Indies recovering to score 311 after being 64/5 in first innings. Kavem Hodge (71), Joshua Da Silva (79), Kevin Sinclair (50) and Alzarri Joseph (32) made major contributions.

In response, Australia were reduced to 54/5 but Usman Khawaja (75), Alex Carey (65) and Pat Cummins (64 not out) took the team to 289/9 declared.

West Indies made 193 on second turn. Although no one scored a century, there were contributions from Kirk McKenzie (41), Alick Athanaze (35), Kavem Hodge (29) and Justin Greaves (33).

Australia ended Day Three at 60/2, strongly placed in their chase of 216.

However, after the fall of third wicket of Cameron Green (42) at the score of 113, the team lost track and were bowled out for 207.

Former skipper Steve Smith carried the bat with 91 not out and continued the fight till the very end.

This was West Indies’ first win since 1997 when Brian Lara’s century helped them win a consolation Test. West Indies lost that series 2-3. Lara, incidentally, was in the commentators’ box on Sunday watching the Caribbean players break the 24-year-old jinx in Australia. Shamar Joseph was named Player of the series. 

Australia had won the series against Pakistan 3-0 earlier in the summer.