Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja’s fledgling opening partnership is on shaky ground after Australia’s openers were again dismissed cheaply against the West Indies. Australia slumped to 12-2 at stumps on day two of the second Test in Grenada, leading by just 45 after bowling the Windies out for 253.
Konstas was left shattered after he was out for a duck, playing on to his stumps from a Jayden Seales delivery. The 19-year-old, in just his fourth Test, looked better in the first innings with 25, after scores of 3 and 5 during the opening match of the series in Barbados.
Australia were left reeling at 4-2 when Khawaja, 19 years Konstas’s senior, was trapped lbw by Seales. The veteran left-hander was again exposed by a right-arm quick coming around the wicket.
Nathan Lyon was sent out as nightwatchman, still with 18 minutes until stumps, but was able to navigate the tricky period with Cameron Green. Replying to Australia’s 286, West Indies limped to tea on day two on 185-7. But some crucial lower-order runs from Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph helped the hosts cut Australia’s lead to just 33 when they were dismissed for 253.
Australia’s legendary bowling attack shared the wickets around, with Lyon (3-75) leading the way. Josh Hazlewood (2-43) and Pat Cummins (2-46) were typically dangerous, while Travis Head’s part-time off-spin was successfully used to find the 10th wicket to wrap up the innings.
When opener Kraigg Brathwaite fell without scoring off the 11th ball of the day, caught and bowled by Hazlewood, it was just the tonic the tourists needed. And when Keacy Carty was dismissed by Cummins for six in the ninth over, the Australian attack looked in the mood to inflict serious damage.
It was, indeed, a magnificent moment for the Australian captain, the ball hanging in the air for a seeming eternity before it began to fall to where a bat pad would have been. Cummins made ground in his follow through and timed his dive perfectly to complete the catch.
It got even better when John Campbell, the other opener, was sent back to the pavilion, caught by Mitchell Starc off Beau Webster after a brisk 40 that included five boundaries. Left-hander Campbell tried to loft over the leg side but could only lob the ball high into the air and straight down the throat of Starc at mid-on.
The West Indies stood on a fragile-looking 64-3. But then the home side steadied, losing no more wickets before reaching lunch on 3-110. Brandon King (39) and Roston Chase (16) steadied the West Indies with a 46-run fourth-wicket stand.
Just one more run had been added when Chase fell lbw to Hazlewood. Cummins removed Shai Hope to leave West Indies on 169-5, and the home side were faltering again when King’s defiance was ended four balls later, caught by wicketkeeper Alex Carey off Nathan Lyon and given after a review.
