Not for the first time, a Chanderpaul stands between Australia running through the West Indies.
A decade after Shiv Chanderpaul was player of the series against Australia during their 2-0 home series defeat, his son, Tagenarine, playing just his second Test, holds the key for the West Indies.
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The 26-year-old, who had a strong first outing in Perth last week, once again was a thorn in the backside for Australia, as the opener went to stumps on day two unbeaten on 47 on Friday at Adelaide Oval, with the West Indies 4-102.
“He’s a ripper, an absolute ripper,” Mike Hussey said late on day two, as the left-hander cut magnificently over point to the boundary off Cameron Green’s first delivery.
“It doesn’t get much tougher than this against Australia under the lights,” Ian Smith said a ball later as he pulled into the deep.
Hours earlier, having spent more than a day-and-a-half in the field, Chanderpaul and his opening partner and captain Kraigg Brathwaite were sent in for a probing session on the stroke of tea after stand-in skipper Steve Smith had seen enough.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul played a lone hand for the West Indies at Adelaide Oval on December 09, 2022. Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
After Travis Head (175) and Marnus Labuschagne (163) had kicked on during the first session, as well as a late flurry from Alex Carey (41), Smith declared with Australia 7-511 from 137 overs.
Former New Zealand wicket-keeper Ian Smith described it as the “perfect declaration”.
The duo went to tea at 0-14 and put on 35 before Michael Neser – playing his second Test and first since taking the pink ball against England – set up Brathwaite (19) beautifully with a series of off-cutters before the right-armer got one to straighten and take the outside edge. It was magnificent bowling from a seamer who taken wickets constantly for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield.
1-35 became 2-45 as Shamarh Brooks (8) fell in almost identical fashion as Neser had his second.
And when Jermaine Blackwood (3) threw his hands at a full-pitched delivery that turned and took the inside edge of his bat Nathan Lyon had a wicket. It was just any old wicket either, with the wicket his 57th at the ground – the most at Adelaide Oval in Test cricket – he once prepared for others to use.
Devon Thomas, who earlier did his best with the ball by taking 2-53, hung around and showed the full face of the bat but eventually was bowled by Cameron Green when he played the ball too late and played onto his stumps. It was a cruel blow but one that revealed the timid showing from the West Indian batters.
Chanderpaul, meanwhile, slashed and dashed square of the wicket and almost fell on the stroke of stumps, but managed to survive for another day.
Travis Head missed out on a double century at his home ground in Adelaide. Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
Starting the day at 3-330, local boy Head was sniffing a double century after he became the first South Australian to score a century in Adelaide since Greg Blewitt more than two decades earlier on day one.
“I’ll enjoy it at some point, but I felt like there was a few out there,” Head said.
“You don’t get many opportunities to feel the way I did and with the situation of the game to make the most of it and dip my break.
“It was a disappointing way of ending.
“I’ve hit 286 runs in the past two weeks and been filthy, 99 last week and run out this week. Amazing how the game works.”
He wasn’t the only one either, as Marnus Labuschagne looked to repeat the dose from the week earlier.
Labuschagne went past 150 hardly breaking a sweat and continued to turn heads in the process.
O’Keeffe described the first-drop as a “master batter” at work, as he became the second fastest Australian behind Sir Don Bradman to register 3,000 runs.
The former leg-spinner said Labuschagne, who brought up the milestone in just 51 innings, was mounting a compelling case to be considered in Australia’s greatest XI.
Not long after he edged Thomas behind as Joshua Da Silva held on brilliantly up at the stumps to see the gun batter depart for 163.
His dismissal finally allowed all-rounder Camron Green to have a bat, but it wasn’t long before calamity struck as a “terrible” mix-up saw Head run out for 175. The left-hander was left fuming, but replays showed he was to blame for committing to a second run despite Green saying “no”.
Carey came in and looked competent from the outset, which was in stark contrast to Green who looked timid after spending so long to have a bat.
Green fell soon after, chopping on to give opening bowler Alzarri Joseph his second-wicket.
Returning bowling all-rounder Neser came in and looked the goods before he fell to Brathwaite sweeping.
Some clean striking from Carey saw Australia go past 500, before Smith waved his teammates in as he looked for a blow before tea.
Head’s form revival is a massive confidence booster as Australia look to the home series against South Africa, then the tour to India in February where spinning tracks have been a hurdle for the left-hander to overcome.
“Runs are runs,” Head said. “I can’t do anything until I get there and the conditions present themselves. All I can do is worry about what we’re doing at the moment.
“You can’t look too far in the future or look too far in the past. It’s a form-based game, I guess. And all you can go by is how guys are going at the moment.
“So nice to be contributing. There’s that tour coming up and we’ll prepare well for it and hopefully I am on it.”
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