The second day of the Test match being played at Sabina Park in Kingston was very exciting for cricket lovers. On this day, 15 wickets fell, both teams bowled brilliantly, but Australia has taken a slight lead by taking a lead of 181 runs. Let us know the 10 important turning points of this day due to which the course of the match kept changing.
West Indies started cautiously, but King’s bat did not work
At the beginning of the second day, the West Indies team started playing ahead with a score of 16/1. In the first half hour, they batted cautiously, but Brandon King was given out LBW by Josh Hazlewood’s inswing ball. He took DRS but due to “umpire call” the decision was against him.
The pair of Hazlewood and Starc showed amazing performance
West Indies batsmen were always put on the back foot as the Australian fast bowlers continuously pressurized them particularly Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. The two wrecked through the middle order with the movement of the seam and aggressive bouncers. Batting of West Indies continued to collapse.
West Indies’ first innings ends at 311
Although the middle order collapsed, there were some useful innings in order to bring the scorers of West Indies to 311 runs with a lead of 86 runs in the first innings. This was more than enough to provide them with psychological advantage.
Australia’s second innings: Fast start but stormy fall
When Australia came out to bat in the second innings, everyone expected them to perform better than the previous innings. But Alzari Joseph and Shamar Joseph not only shattered expectations but also wreaked havoc on Australia’s top order. The score became 99/6 in no time.
Stormy bowling by Alzari and Shamar
In this match, the Joseph brothers surprised everyone with their talent. Their speed, bounce and accurate length troubled Australia’s top batsmen. Especially the aggressive bowling by Shamar Joseph caught everyone’s attention.
Australia’s lead increased to 181 runs
Although the start was bad, the lower order batsmen handled the situation and took the score forward. By the end of the day’s play, Australia was at 99/6 and their total lead had become 181 runs. This lead is considered very important considering this pitch and the current situation.
Pitch’s nature: Favorable to bowlers
The Sabina Park pitch clearly indicated that it is helping the bowlers. Seam movement, bounce and some uneven bounce troubled the batsmen. Batting on the pitch is challenging, and this is where strong technique and patience are tested.
Need to improve West Indies’ strategy
The bowling was phenomenal but we could have been a little more lax in the fielding and captaincy tactics. West Indies could have pressurized Australia more had it been afforded an opportunity. In the next sessions, the captain will be forced to concentrate on fielding attack and accurate bowling changes.
There is still excitement left in the match
A lead of 181 runs is in Australia’s favour, but given the bowling form of West Indies, the match is not completely in anyone’s favour yet. If West Indies takes quick wickets on the third day, they can get a good chance of victory.
Will Australia bounce back?
Australia will now have to rely on their lower-order partnerships. If they take the score to a lead of 250+, it will be difficult for West Indies to chase. But if West Indies clean up quickly, this Test match will head towards an exciting end.
Conclusion:
The Sabina Park Test is now at an interesting juncture. With 15 wickets falling in a day, it is clear that this pitch is not favouring any one team – the real test here is technique, patience and confidence Australia may have a slight lead, but the possibility of West Indies making a comeback is also alive. The upcoming third day will decide the course of the match.
