The West Indies finally showed some signs of life on day one of the second Test against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday.
After winning the toss and batting, the tourists ended the day 266-8, their first time over 200 in the series.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Windies as Australia’s pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ripped through the West Indian top order once again to leave them reeling at 64-5 at the tea interval.
After the break, a 149-run sixth wicket partnership between Joshua Da Silva and Kavem Hodge provided some much-needed stability to the innings.
Da Silva led the way with 79 off 157 balls while Hodge showed improved judgement from the first Test with a 194-ball 71, his first Test fifty.
“We knew it was always going to be a tough fight against the Australians,” Hodge said in an interview after the day’s play.
“Knowing we didn’t put out a good showing in the first Test, we knew we had to be consistent with whatever we do. It was important that whoever got in try to push on as deep as possible. Just unfortunate that we didn’t see out the end of the day but I’m really happy with the fight that the guys are showing so hopefully we can come out tomorrow and push on,” he added.
Hodge made just 12 and three in the first Test, being dismissed caught behind by Hazlewood on both occasions.
On Wednesday, however, he made a concerted effort to leave the ball outside off stump, an excellent adjustment by someone just making their way to the highest level.
He put this clarity of thought down to time at the crease.
“Definitely! I was the first to admit in the team meeting after the first Test that the butterflies got the best of me but now I’m a bit more relaxed and I can work my plan and enjoy the environment of Test cricket. I’m really happy with the time in the middle,” he said.
“I was more relaxed. Leaving the ball outside off stump was generally my game plan. It’s just like any normal cricket. The more time you spend at the wicket, the more relaxed you feel and you’ll make better judgements,” he added.
It was a similar experience for Joshua Da Silva who also came up short in the first Test with scores of six and 18. On Wednesday, he made his fourth Test fifty.
“It’s always nice to come up against Australia. Best team in the world on paper so to face an opposition like that and score some runs is nice,” said Da Silva in a post day press conference.
“Coming in 63-5, I just wanted to consolidate with Hodgie (Hodge). It was challenging at times but it had periods where it was a little bit easier,” he added.
Da Silva also adjusted well to the game plan of the Aussies. He was dismissed twice to the short ball in the first Test but made the effort to either play the ball down or to duck when faced with those deliveries on Wednesday.
“I knew it was coming after I got bounced out twice in Adelaide. I put on a chest pad this time and decided to duck from a few. Had to change the philosophy a bit because it wasn’t going well. Thankfully, it worked,” he said.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
IPL: Royals downed by big-hitting Capitals
Rajasthan Royals failed to chase down the Delhi Capitals, who claimed a 20-run victory in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday.
Sanju Samson struck 86 off 46 balls for the second-placed Royals, but the Capitals successfully defended their haul of 221.
Jake Fraser-McGurk's 20-ball 50 set the tone for the Capitals, who are well in the play-off hunt with two matches remaining.
Fellow opener Abishek Porel plundered 65, with Tristan Stubbs adding a useful 41 towards the end of the innings, with Ravichandran Ashwin (3-24) the only Royals bowler to do significant damage.
Kuldeep Yadav (2-25) and Mukesh Kumar (2-30) led the way with the ball for Delhi, with the latter taking the vital wicket of Samson in the 16th over, leaving the Royals with too much to do from 162-4.
Delhi have won three of their last four matches and are making a late run for the play-offs, as one of four teams tied on 12 points.
Data Debrief: Samson soars
It took Samson just 31 minutes to amass 86 runs before he was eventually dismissed, with the loss of his wicket all but ending the Royals' hopes.
In the process, he moved into third place in the IPL run-scorers chart, up from 11th, with 471 runs to his name this season. He trails only Ruturaj Gaikwad (541) and Virat Kohli (542).
Seales takes 5-29 in second innings to help Sussex complete innings and 124-run rout of Derbyshire
Jayden Seales is now the leading wicket-taker after five rounds of the County Championship Division Two after another stellar performance to help Sussex rout Derbyshire by an innings and 124 runs at the County Ground in Derby from May 3-5.
Seales took 1-54 from 14 overs in the first innings as Derbyshire were bowled out for 246 in 63.3 overs after Sussex won the toss.
Luis Reece (50), Blair Tickner (47) and Aneurin Donald (44) were the top run-scorers against 2-6 from James Coles and 2-65, each, from Ollie Robinson and Fynn Hudson-Prentice.
Cheteshwar Pujara then starred with the bat with 113 off 186 balls as Sussex piled up 479 off 109.4 overs in their first innings.
James Coles (72), Tom Alsop (64) and Tom Haines (58) provided good support for Pujara against three-wicket hauls from Daryn Dupavillon and Jack Morley.
Seales then produced an excellent spell of bowling to help restrict Derbyshire to just 109 all out in 26 overs.
He took 5-29 from his eight overs, taking his tally this season to 18 in four games. Danny Lamb also bowled well with 2-10 from four overs.
Full Scores: Derbyshire 246 off 63.3 overs (Luis Reece 50, Blair Tickner 47, Aneurin Donald 44, James Coles 2-6, Ollie Robinson 2-65, Fynn Hudson-Prentice 2-65) & 109 off 26 overs (Jayden Seales 5-29, Danny Lamb 2-10)
Sussex 479 off 109.4 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 113, James Coles 72, Tom Alsop 64, Tom Haines 58, Daryn Dupavillon 3-89, Jack Morley 3-117, Luis Reece 2-32)
Caribbean players occupy top positions on Suncorp Stats Leaderboards
Following another series of top-notch performances over the weekend, it comes as no surprise that Caribbean players continue to line the statistics leaderboards in the early exchanges of the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball League campaign.
Jamaica's Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard and Shanice Beckford, assisted West Coast Fever to a thumping 75-59 win over New South Wales Swifts, the team of Trinidad and Tobago stalwart Samantha Wallace-Joseph, while other Jamaicans, Romelda Aiken-George, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, and Latanya Wilson, were instrumental in Adelaide Thunderbirds’ 69-49 win over Jodi-Ann Ward’s GIANTS.
Fowler-Nembhard, an imposing figure in the shooting circle, scored 61 goals from 62 attempts in the Fever’s latest win, and remains top of the tables in several categories – namely, Nissan Net Points (490.5), goals (243) and attempts (248). Aiken-George (148 goals and 171 attempts) and Wallace-Joseph (138 goals and 148 attempts) are fourth and fifth in the goals and attempts categories respectively.
Beckford has been finding her footing at the two-point Super Shot line in her debut season, but it is the 86 centre passes received that has her atop that category, jointly with Fever’s teammate Alice Teague-Neeld and Liz Watson of the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Samantha Wallace-Joseph (second right) prepares to receive the ball, while under pressure from Kadie-Ann Dehaney.
Aiken-George retains top spot for offensive rebounds with 22 to her name, with Fowler-Nembhard (13) fifth in that category, while Sterling-Humphrey (8) has slipped third in the defensive rebound category, behind Remi Kamo (10) and Sarah Klau (8).
However, Sterling-Humphrey is not to be beaten elsewhere though, as she maintains a strangle hold atop the deflections and intercepts tallies with 27 and 15 to her name. Her teammate Wilson sits fourth and second on the deflections and intercepts lists with 22 and 14.
Meanwhile, Sunday Aryang and Ash Ervin have taken second and third for deflections with 26 and 25 respectively.
Teague-Neeld remains on top of the goal assists leaderboard with 107 to her name, followed closely by Liz Watson (96).
Sophie Dwyer and Kiera Austin have not shied away from the Suncorp Super Shot, sitting equal first with 32 attempts apiece, and both within the top five for successful attempts. Helen Housby sits top of the table for successful shots with 22 to her name from 29 attempts.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
