Josh Hazlewood blew the West Indies top order apart late in the day, earning himself figures of 3/0 at one point – but that’s just the start of the numerical ridiculousness of his day, which ended with the Bendemeer Bullet on 4/18.
The quick had Tagenarine Chanderpaul caught behind, then Kraigg Brathwaite at short leg by a stunning Travis Head grab.
That was followed by Alick Athanaze, who gloved through to Alex Carey, then Kavem Hodge nicked to Steve Smith in the cordon.
“The West Indies are on the brink,” said Michael Vaughan of the Windies’ batters.
“They’re in shock. It’s brilliant again from Hazlewood.
“This West Indies team are 3/7 because of the brilliance of Hazlewood. It’s not easy facing this Australian attack on a pitch that’s just offering you something.
“4/16 in the second innings at the SCG, 4/44 in the first innings here, now he’s 3/0. In his last 27 overs, 11/60. At the Adelaide Oval – seven matches, 39 wickets at an average of 16.79.
“You can understand why teams get intimidated, because these numbers, you just look at them in front of you as an opposing player.”
A fan survey has backed South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas’ claims that the Adelaide Test should be moved back to December – and that it should always be a day/night game.
75% of fans asked at the ground on Day One said that their preference was for the evening game, with 61% suggesting that December was the best time for it to be held.
Notably, the current set-up of switching between early and late starts attracted just 3% of support, by far the least popular option.
Brisbane has been given the day-nighter in 2024 – to be held next week at The Gabba – while next year’s has not yet been decided.
Milanauskas has been floating the idea of a ‘Christmas Test’ as a third tentpole alongside the traditional Boxing Day Test at the SCG and the New Year’s Test at Sydney.
There had been South Australian overtures towards taking the early January game from the SCG, but Cricket Australia seemed highly unlikely to change course.
“Later in December generally brings better weather on average than early December, which is better if it’s a day-night fixture,” said the Premier on Day One on ABC Radio.
“But it also gives people a chance to travel from interstate as we start to get into that seasonal, festivity period.
“I support the concept of Christmas Test. It’s got to be against a premium side, rather than being relegated to the second team that comes.
“I think that would represent a good recognition from Cricket Australia that this is a state that turns up, is loyal to the sport and wants to grow Test cricket.”
It’s official: Australia are finding it harder to finish off an innings than any other nation. On a milestone day for Australia in Adelaide, Josh Hazlewood bagged 4-44 to have the West Indies all out for 188.
In doing so, Hazlewood also passed 250 wickets and made Australia’s quartet the first in history to play together in a Test after having all passed the milestone.
Cummins also claimed 4-41, taking his returns for the summer to 23 wickets at 11.69.
Australia’s bowling is firing. They are the most relentless attack in the world and their demolition of the West Indies middle order was a showcase of how the team have risen to No.1 in the world.
But it was also the same old story for Australia when it came to the tail.
Shamar Joseph hits out. (Photo by Mark Brake – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
The West Indies would have been all out for less than 140 if not for Shamar Joseph (36) and Kemar Roach (17no) putting on 55 for the final wicket.
It was the third 10th-wicket stand of 50 or more in the past year against Australia.
In that time, only two other half-century stands have been put on for the final wicket against other nations.
And the average of 19.4 runs Australia have leaked for the last wicket is the highest of any Test team in the past 12 months.
While the Windies’ runs are unlikely to prove crucial in this Test, Australia’s late-innings troubles have been costly in the past.
Ben Stokes and Ollie Robinson’s 38 for the last English wicket at Headingley helped change the third Test in last year’s Ashes, as Australia were denied an outright series win.
Australia didn’t rely so much on the short ball on Wednesday, but analysis from broadcasters Channel 7 showed only one of the 83 balls they bowled during the last partnership would have hit the stumps.
Hazlewood admitted after play that they perhaps need to spend more time looking at the tail, and how to set up better individual plans for the No.10 and No.11 batters.
“But when it’s a debutant (like Joseph), it’s probably even more difficult. You don’t know his strengths and weaknesses that well,” Hazlewood said.
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
“I think all the bowlers can just bat these days. At the very start of my career 10 and 11 was pretty easy-going, and now 10 years on it’s a little bit different.
“They can all hang on to it. They’ve all got good confidence. They’ve got a couple of shots.
“Often the best ball to the top six is probably the easiest ball to slog sometimes.
“So it’s just maybe mixing it up a bit more. Obviously the bouncer plays a part, so it’s just sequencing those balls, working them out.”
86 – Aamir Jamal and Mir Hamza (Pak) at SCG
66 – Jimmy Anderson and Jonny Bairstow (Eng) at Old Trafford
55 – Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach (WI) at Adelaide Oval
38 – Ollie Robinson and Ben Stokes (Eng) at Headingley
25 – James Anderson and Josh Tongue (Eng) at Lord’s
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