Shamar Joseph

Test matches between these two rivals date back to 1928 when the West Indies made their first trip to England.  The Teams now compete for the Richards Botham Trophy, named in honour of West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards and England great Lord Ian Botham.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite will continue his leadership role, with fast bowler Alzarri Joseph again serving as Vice-Captain. The team is scheduled to arrive in England on 23 June for a training camp at Tonbridge School, ahead of a 4-day warm-up match at Beckingham commencing on the 4 July. 

CWI Lead Selector, the Most Honorable Dr. Desmond Haynes, expressed confidence in the squad's composition.

“The squad has been shaped with both experience and emerging talent, ensuring a strong balance as we face the challenge of playing in English conditions. Over the past year, our red-ball program has continued to develop. Following our victory in the last Test in Australia in January, it is evident that we are seeing the fruits of that investment. Each player selected has earned their place through consistent performances and hard work. We are confident that this blend of seasoned players and emerging faces will perform admirably against England.”

Young Fast Bowler Jayden Seales returns to the squad having missed the last Test Series against Australia due to injury and experienced all-rounder Jason Holder has earned a recall having made himself unavailable for the last tour. 

There is also a first international selection for 23-year-old opening batsman Mikyle Louis. 

Louis, a former West Indies U19 International, scored 682 runs in his debut First Class season for the Leeward Island Hurricanes at an average of 48.71. Should he debut for the West Indies in England, he will become the first Kittitian to wear the famous Maroon test cap.

The West Indies 15-member test squad is as follows:

1. Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)
2. Alick Athanaze
3. Joshua Da Silva
4. Jason Holder
5. Kavem Hodge
6. Tevin Imlach
7. Alzarri Joseph (Vice-Captain)
8. Shamar Joseph
9. Mikyle Louis
10. Zachary McCaskie
11. Kirk McKenzie
12. Gudakesh Motie
13. Kemar Roach
14. Jayden Seales
15. Kevin Sinclair

These players will be supported by the following team management unit: 

• Head Coach - Andre Coley 
• Team Manager - Rawl Lewis 
• Assistant Coach - Jimmy Adams 
• Assistant Coach - Rayon Griffith
• Assistant Coach - Shaun Tait 
• Physiotherapist - Dr. Denis Byam
• Strength & Conditioning Coach - Ronald Rogers 
• Team Masseuse - Fitzbert Alleyne 
• Team Analyst - Avenesh Seetram  

West Indies' last test match was a resounding victory in Australia earlier this year. Since then, all selected players were involved in the West Indies Championship, which concluded in April and was won by the Guyana Harpy Eagles. 

19-year-old fast bowler, Isai Thorne will travel with the squad as a development player, following impressive performances in this debut First Class season taking 31 wickets at average 16.29 in his first eight matches.

The West Indies are the current holders of the Richards Botham Trophy following the 1-0 Home Test Series win in March 2022.

Louis, the 23-year-old, comes into the team on the back of a brilliant season for the Leeward Islands in the 2024 West Indies Championship where he scored 682 runs in 14 innings at an average of 49.

He is coming off a first innings half-century in their warm-up game against the County Select XI last week.

Retaining their places in the order are Kirk McKenzie at three, Alick Athanaze at four and Kavem Hodge at five.

McKenzie and Athanaze scored three half-centuries between them in the warm-up fixture last week while Hodge scored a brilliant hundred so all three are coming into the first Test in some good form.

Also making their return to the West Indies test team after missing the Australia series in December are former Captain Jason Holder and young pacer Jayden Seales.

Both Holder and Seales recently enjoyed successful County Championship stints for Worcestershire and Sussex, respectively.

Gudakesh Motie will be the lone spinner in the XI while Holder and Seales will be joined in the pace attack by Alzarri and Shamar Joseph.

Josh a Da Silva also retains his place behind the stumps.

The full XI is as follows: Kraigg Brathwaite (C), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph

Just over 24 hours after bowling the West Indies to a pulsating eight-run victory over World number-one Test team Australia, 24-year-old Guyanese fast bowler Shamar Joseph is already banking buck, having been signed by Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) set to begin next month.

Joseph, Player of the Series in the just-concluded two-Test series against Australia, famously took 7-68 as the West Indies bowled out Australia for 207 to hand the West Indies a narrow but hard-fought victory inside four days. It was the West Indies' first Test victory in Australia since 1997.

His performance in the series where he took 13 wickets, caught the eye of Peshawar Zalmi’s owners who have signed Joseph for the entirety of the tournament. Zalmi has initially announced Joseph’s signing as a partial replacement for England fast bowler Gus Atkinson.

Meanwhile, Johnson Charles was among the other players brought in by PSL sides in the supplementary and replacement draft.

Karachi Kings have replaced Kieron Pollard, who is partially unavailable, with left-arm spinner Zahid Mahmood.

Much like West Indies batsmen had no response to Gus Atkinson's precision in the first Test at Lord's, the Caribbean side's bowlers did little to slow England's batting onslaught on this occasion, though it was not for a lack of trying. This, as several chances were squandered in the field, and England rode their wave of fortune to post a daunting 416 all out.

Ollie Pope, who was dropped twice on 46 and 54 by Jason Holder and Alick Athanaze, plundered 121 from 165 deliveries. His knock, which had 15 boundaries and a solitary six, was backed by Ben Duckett's 59-ball 71 and captain Ben Stokes, who made 69.

Alzarri Joseph got three for 98, as Kavem Hodge (2-44), Jayden Seales (2-90), and Kevin Sinclair (2-73), a late addition for Gudakesh Motie, who woke up feeling ill, picked up the other wickets.

With the batsmen having done their part, the England bowlers will be basking in the prospects of possibly ending this contest within three days and taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Scores: England 416 all out (88.3 overs)

After winning the toss, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite was optimistic of an improved bowling performance, and he would have relished his decision when Alzarri Joseph removed Zak Crawley with the third ball of the innings. However, Pope and Duckett pelted the boundary in a 105-run second wicket stand, but that was eventually broken when Shamar Joseph had the latter caught by Holder, who took four catches in total.

Joe Root (14) and Harry Brook (36) had brief stays in the middle, but Stokes and Pope added a further 80 runs for the fifth wicket to keep West Indies pinned against the proverbial ropes.

Pope was inevitably removed by Alzarri Joseph with England at 281-5, while Stokes' entertaining knock was ended by Kavem Hodge.

Jamie Smith (36) and Chris Woakes (37) chipped in with quickfire scores too, with Shoaib Bashir's dismissal in the final over of play bookending a fantastic first day for England.

Data Debrief: Speedy Duckett into the history books

Duckett needed just 32 deliveries to reach a half-century, as he kept up a pace mostly seen in T20Is.

It is the third-quickest 50 for England in their Test history, with Duckett drawing level with Ian Botham's effort against New Zealand in 1986. 

Jonny Bairstow is second on that list (30 v New Zealand in 2022), with the legendary Botham leading the way (28 v India in 1981).

Powell, one of the world’s most destructive T20 batsmen, most recently represented the Delhi Capitals last season and has also represented the Kolkata Knight Riders previously.

He made his debut in 2022 and has scored 257 runs in 17 matches at an average of 19.77 with a top score of 67*.

Joseph made his IPL debut in 2019 and has taken 20 wickets in 19 matches including a career best 6-12 for the Mumbai Indians. Last season, Joseph played for the Gujarat Titans who won the title.

Hosein has only made one IPL appearance, taking the field for the Sunrisers Hyderabad last season.

Brandon King, Sherfane Rutherford, Fabian Allen, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Keemo Paul, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Obed McCoy, Oshane Thomas, Odean Smith and Shamar Joseph are the other West Indians entered into Tuesday’s auction.

King, Forde, Hope and Joseph are the only ones with no previous IPL experience.

Joseph struck with his first ball in Test cricket when he removed Steven Smith, then finished with 5 for 94 and also showed his prowess with the bat with scores of 36 and 15.

His rise to Test cricket has been remarkable on the back of just five first-class games, having grown up in the village of Baracara in Guyana, which could only be reached by boat.

He has now shot to global prominence and is being talked about as part of West Indies' future as they look to rebuild their Test cricket, but Joseph already has an ILT20 deal and more such offers are unlikely to be far away.

"The best advice I can give him is to build his own legacy," Roach said.

"Understand what you want from cricket. That's up to him to determine, if it's monetary, or if it's just stats and statistics or whatever. There's going to be a lot of distractions… he's a hot commodity right now so he needs to choose what he really wants and what he thinks is best for his career going forward. So, it's up to him as a young man, but I definitely give him that advice."

Roach, the senior figure in West Indies' attack with 80 caps to his name, is happy to take on a mentor role having had similar players to feed off early in his career.

"I had that when I started. Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards [were] some guys around to help me when I started my career," he said.

"I took knowledge and learning from it. So obviously for me now, it's all about passing on the mantle now to the youngsters. He's got a very good career ahead of him. At this stage, he's willing to learn. We have a lot of conversations. So, I think once he keeps doing that, not just coming from me but anyone who he thinks can help him in his career, he can take a lot of knowledge on board and become a better cricketer."

Roach himself is towards the latter stages of his career but has put no end point on his Test career.

"Day by day," he said with a smile, "let's see how it goes."

He made a big impression on his first tour of Australia in 2009 when he forced Ricky Ponting to retire hurt in Perth but has found the country the toughest place to take wickets with 10 at 77.90 from eight matches.

"As a bowler coming to Australia you are bowling against some of the best batters in the world so there is always a good challenge," he said.

"I love a good challenge. I have lived for that my whole career so for me coming here is just about expressing yourself, enjoying and relishing the moment and giving it a good go. Be confident in yourself and your skills and let's see how the day goes for you."

Roach only briefly dipped his toe into the franchise world of T20 - his last game in the format was in 2018 - although that did include a stint with Brisbane Heat, who will play the BBL final against Sydney Sixers on Wednesday.

The last time Heat won the BBL was in 2012-13, when Roach claimed 3 for 18 against Perth Scorchers at the WACA. "I saw my picture on the wall, so good memories," he said of his return to the Gabba, the home ground of Heat.

Test cricket, where he ranks fifth among West Indies' all-time wicket-takers, has remained his No. 1 priority and Roach firmly believes that is the case among many young players in the Caribbean.

"I love Test cricket," he said.

"Honestly, I love the red-ball format. I've played one-dayers and the T20 format as well but I think my heart was always a part of the red ball. I just wanted to be a part of those mega cricketers back in the days. The Joel Garners, the Malcolm Marshalls, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, I just want to be a part of those names.

"And I think for me, obviously, I didn't grow up much in the franchise era. So I had Test cricket at heart, and it has stuck with me throughout. I just think it is different times now. So for me, it's just about these youngsters, what they want to achieve from it. And they make the right decisions and they go forward [in their] careers.

"The franchises are a big distraction," he added. "But guys still want to relish red-ball cricket. Test cricket is still at the hearts of West Indian cricketers at home. It's just about us to provide support around it. To keep those guys interested in red-ball cricket. Discussions will be had. I'm not part of it. They take Tests very seriously still. They are very proud to be a part of the red-ball team for the West Indies."

Having struggled with the bat first-up, West Indies seamers produced a dynamic bowling spell of six for 22 to restrict their opponents to a mere 174 at Karen Rolton Oval.

However, their shortcomings in the batting department were again full display in Thursday's afternoon session, as top-order batsmen Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kirk McKenzie, much like they did in the first innings, again fell cheaply.

It took an unbeaten knock of 55 from wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua da Silva, who was promoted to opening duties, and Kavem Hodge's composed unbeaten 44 to steady the ship. Both showed some attacking flair, which saw the Caribbean side to 137 for 3 at stumps, a lead of 214 runs heading into the final day of the three-day contest.

SCORES: West Indies 251-8 dec and 137 for 3 (da Silva 55*, Hodge 44*, Haskett 2-39) lead Cricket Australia XI 174 (Ward 50, Hope 24, Roach 2-23, Shamar Joseph 2-28) by 214 runs

Things initially looked bleak for West Indies as Cricket Australia's XI cruised to 94-1, before the trio of seamers sliced through their batting card. Tim Ward, who struck seven boundaries in an even 50 at the top of the order, and Bradley Hope with 24, offered most resistance to West Indies' attack.

Shamar Joseph, who is one of seven uncapped players in the 15-man squad, gave Head coach Andre Coley a hint of his readiness for a Test debut in the upcoming two-match series against Australia. He was on-song with crafty swing bowling and vicious short balls, as he snared two wickets for 28 runs. One of his wickets came on a gorgeous in-swinger that smashed the top of Teague Wyllie's off stump.

Meanwhile, Roach improved in his second spell of the day to finish with two wickets for 23 runs from his nine overs, while fellow paceman Alzarri Joseph took two wickets for 40 runs.

Chanderpaul, who made 17 in his side's first innings, pushed a loose Liam Haskett delivery he didn't need to play, straight to gully to fall for his second-innings duck. McKenzie's dismissal was just as avoidable, softly chipping Haskett straight to midwicket.

Alick Athanaze improved on his first innings duck with 15, but failed to push on, as he holed out to Wyllie from Liam Scott's bowling.

The hosts, after winning the toss and batting first, made an imposing 207-7 from their 20 overs on a much-improved Sabina Park pitch.

Stand-in Captain Brandon King, who stood out with a top score of 79 in the first T20I, got the ball rolling quickly on Saturday with a 13-run third over off the bowling of Anrich Nortje, who South Africa brought in for this game in place of Gerald Coetzee.

Johnson Charles, playing his 50^th T20I, once again failed to make any inroads with the bat as he was first to fall, caught in the deep off the bowling of Bjorn Fortuin for seven.

Kyle Mayers joined the skipper and the pair brought the score up to 51-1 at the end of the first powerplay with King 35* off 20 balls and looking set for another big one and Mayers on nine from seven balls.

Unfortunately for the hosts and the Sabina Park crowd, King’s knock didn’t last much longer as he became the first T20I wicket for debutant Nqaba Peter when he was caught at long on for 36 in the seventh over.

Peter got his second wicket not long after when Mayers, after hitting a six the ball before, became the third West Indies batsman to get out caught in the deep. He made a 16-ball 32 including two fours and three sixes. The score at the time of his wicket was 83-3 with one ball left in the ninth over.

At the halfway point, the hosts were 88-3 with Roston Chase and Andre Fletcher at the crease on 10 and three, respectively.

The pair then batted beautifully to put on a further 56 in short time before Fletcher fell for 29 to leave the West Indies 139-4 with five overs left.

Not long after, Chase brought up an excellent maiden T20I fifty with a flat six over mid-wicket off Lungi Ngidi in the 17^th over. His milestone came off 30 balls.

The 19^th over proved to be the most crucial for the West Indies as a trio of sixes from Romario Shepherd brought the score past the 200 mark before he fell off the last ball of that over for 26 off just 13 balls.

In the end, Chase finished 67* off just 38 balls including seven fours and two sixes.

Peter was the pick of the South African bowlers with 2-32 from his four overs while Ngidi and Andile Phehlukwayo took 2-41 and 2-51 from their respective four over spells.

The start from South Africa then had Sabina Park silent as openers Reeza Hendricks and Quinton De Kock absolutely hammered the West Indian bowling around the park on the way to an opening partnership of 81 in the first five overs.

The last ball of that fifth over proved to be the start of the West Indian fightback as De Kock took one risk too many and was bowled by Akeal Hosein for 41 off just 17 balls including four fours and as many sixes.

Three balls later, one became two for the Windies as Reeza Hendricks, who made 87 in the first game on Thursday, was dismissed by Chase for 34 to leave the tourists 83-2 at the halfway point of the sixth over.

Ryan Rickelton and Matthew Breetzke then added a further 30 before the latter went for an ill-advised second run and was run out thanks to a brilliant throw from the deep mid-wicket boundary by Shamar Joseph for 12 off the penultimate ball of the 10^th over.

Rickelton was next to go, caught off the bowling of Romario Shepherd for 19 to leave the score at 124-4 off 12 overs.

Not long after, Andile Phehlukwayo fell to another brilliant piece of fielding from Joseph, this time a catch in the deep off the bowling of Gudakesh Motie for three to leave the South Africans reeling at 138-5 in the 15^th over.

Any chance South Africa had of pulling off the chase was dashed when Gudakesh Motie dismissed both Rassie Van Der Dussen (30) and Wiaan Mulder (9) in the 17^th over.

In the end, South Africa reached 191-7 from their 20 overs, 16 runs short of their target.

Motie ended with 3-22 from his four overs while Shepherd bowled a crucial spell with 1-21 from his four.

Chase, who was named man of the match, completed a fine all-round performance with 1-26 from his four overs.

Chase says the team has eyes on a series sweep.

“Obviously we’ve started the series well being 2-0 up but three is better than two. I just think it’s for us to look at some of the areas where we were weak today and plan to execute them better tomorrow and improve on the areas we did well in as well,” he said.

“The guys have been playing some good cricket, we just had a camp in Antigua and we’ve put in a lot of hard work so it’s just for us to come out and execute and mostly, enjoy the cricket. I think once you go out there to enjoy the cricket, it becomes a lot easier and takes a bit of pressure off of you so it’s just to go out there and have fun,” he added.

The third T20I is set for Sunday.

Shamar Joseph, the rising fast-bowling star from Guyana, took to Instagram to express his gratitude and excitement after winning two prestigious honours at the ESPNCricinfo Awards for 2024. Joseph was awarded for Best Test Bowling Performance and Test Debutant of the Year, following his unforgettable 7 for 68 against Australia in Brisbane in January 2024.

The ICC Men’s Player of the Month shortlist includes the architects of two memorable Test victories away from home, plus a prolific pacer who celebrated another significant milestone in the longest format.

The orchestrator for what was perhaps one of the most dramatic Test victories in recent memory, Joseph’s month will be long remembered for his bowling efforts in the second innings of the second Test v Australia in Brisbane.

Defending a modest target of 216 for victory, Joseph unleashed a remarkable spell of fast bowling, taking seven for 68 to cue wild celebrations.

This, in addition to taking the wicket of Steve Smith with his first ball in international cricket in a five-wicket-haul in Adelaide, saw him named Player of the Series and nominated for ICC Men’s Player of the Month for the very first time.

Joseph will be vying for the award against Australian quick Josh Hazlewood and English batsman Ollie Pope.

The Australian pacer joined an elite club in January after taking his 250^th wicket in the longest format. Hazlewood played three Tests during the month, starting in fine fashion with four wickets in the second innings of their third matchup against Pakistan, to bowl the tourists out cheaply and contribute to an eight-wicket win in Sydney. The 33-year-old followed up by taking nine wickets in the first Test against West Indies and five in the second Test in Brisbane, clocking up 19 wickets at a sensational average of 11.63.

Facing a 190-run deficit in the first India v England Test in Hyderabad, Pope came to the crease at 45 for one. The 26-year-old then dug in and produced a batting masterclass to overturn the deficit, and set a challenging total which India fell short of. A blend of innovative stroke play and resilient defence characterised Pope’s innings in which he scored 196 in 278 balls, including 21 boundaries. The innings propelled England to a score of 420 before they bowled India out to secure a record-breaking victory.

The nominees for the Women’s award are Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney as well as Ireland’s Amy Hunter.

The three nominees for either category are shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month.

The shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world. The ICC Voting Academy comprises prominent members of the cricket fraternity including well-known journalists, former players, broadcasters and members of the ICC Hall of Fame.

The Voting Academy submit their votes by email and hold a 90 per cent share of the vote.

Fans registered with the ICC can vote via the ICC website, accounting for the remaining 10 per cent. Winners are announced every second Monday of the month on ICC’s digital channels. 

Starc speared the delivery into Joseph's boot and it was initially given lbw before the third umpire called a no-ball, but by then Joseph was already on the ground in pain. He quickly took off his shoe and sock as the physio came out and it was soon decided he couldn't continue and was helped off the field. His retirement brought an end to West Indies' second innings. After initially being iced in the dressing room, it was later confirmed he would be heading for scans and they brought good news later in the evening.

"He will continue to be monitored by the medical team and assessed tomorrow," a statement posted on X said.

Shamar Joseph's injury had left West Indies with just two frontline quicks, Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph, supplemented by allrounder Justin Greaves and the offspin of Kevin Sinclair as they tried to earn a first victory in Australia since 1997 in what would go down as one of the biggest upsets of all time. By the close they removed Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne to keep their hopes alive although Steven Smith was looking solid.

Alazarri Joseph said they were all wishing for the best for Shamar, but had to focus on the task at hand and retained belief they could secure victory.

"At the end of the day the game has to go on and we have a job to do. Can't worry about who's not there," he said. "Think we bowled pretty well. It's just for us to come tomorrow and keep pegging away. We still have eight wickets to get, you never know what could happen on the fourth day. As long as we bowl the ball in the right areas we can still win this game."

"I like the fight the boys have put in with bat and ball," he added. "We'll take quite a bit of confidence from this series but the game isn't done yet so there could be more."

Shamar Joseph became an overnight sensation on his Test debut when he claimed Steven Smith with his first ball in Adelaide and went on to finish with 5 for 94. He also impressed with the bat at No. 11, making 36 in his first innings.

In Brisbane, he removed Alex Carey in the first innings as West Indies threatened to secure a big lead before Australia drew nearly level before declaring.

Resuming from their overnight score of 59-2, Australia stumbled to 129-5, with Shamar Joseph dismissing key batsmen Cameron Green for 14 and fellow debutant Justin Greaves claiming the wicket of Usman Khawaja for 45. At lunch, the Australians were precariously placed at 144-5.

However, Travis Head, unbeaten on 41 at the lunch break, spearheaded a counterattack, scoring an impressive 119 and leading Australia to a total of 283 for a lead of 95 runs.

Josh Hazelwood's four-wicket burst further compounded the West Indies' woes, leaving them reeling at 73-6 by the end of the day, trailing Australia by 22 runs.

Shamar Joseph's debut was nothing short of remarkable, finishing with figures of 5-94, supported by Greaves (2-36) and veteran Kemar Roach (2-48). The Guyanese fast bowler's efforts were acknowledged as he claimed his fifth wicket by dismissing Nathan Lyon for 24.

Despite Joseph's heroics, the West Indies' batting order collapsed under the relentless assault of Josh Hazelwood, who ended the day with figures of 4-18. The top four West Indies batsmen fell quickly, with Hazelwood taking three wickets before conceding a single run.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite (1), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (0), Alick Athanaze (0), and Kavem Hodge (3) all succumbed to Hazelwood's skillful bowling, leaving the West Indies in a precarious position at 19-4. Kirk McKenzie provided some resistance with a brisk 26, but his dismissal further dented the West Indies' hopes.

Justin Greaves and Joshua da Silva attempted to stabilize the innings, forging a 33-run partnership, but Greaves fell to Nathan Lyon on the last ball of the day with the Caribbean men still needing 22 runs to avoid forcing Australia to bat again.

While the result seemed destined to favor Australia, the day's play underscored the exceptional performance of Shamar Joseph on his Test debut. His resilience and skill had not gone unnoticed, earning him a standing ovation from the crowd. Despite the challenging situation, Joseph's debut remained a beacon of hope for the West Indies.

The young fast bowler's seven-wicket haul on the fourth day turned the tide, securing not only the Test match but also tied the series 1-1. It was the West Indies first Test victory in Australia since 1997. Joseph, who had figures of 1-56 and 7-68 in the match, took total of 13 wickets during the two Tests and was awarded the Richie Benaud Medal as Player of the Series.

Riding the high of his extraordinary feat, the 24-year-old Guyanese fast bowler, who bowled unchanged for 11.5 overs on the final day, expressed gratitude for his teammates' support and the medical intervention that enabled him to play through the pain after being struck on the big toe by a Mitchell Starc yorker the night before.

The young bowler, who had contemplated skipping the remainder of the match, said he stuck to the basics that brought him the rewards.

"Shout out for my teammates for their support. I wasn't even going to come to the ground today. But the doctor did something to my toe. I don't know what he did. But it worked. I just stuck to the basics. Stuck to the top of off. I feel like we win the entire series by winning this Test. Shout out to my teammates for their support. I cried for my five-wicket haul but I'm so happy now. I'm not even tired. I would have kept bowling," exclaimed Joseph.

The elation was shared by the West Indies captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, who seized the opportunity to respond to criticism from retired Australian Test cricketer Rodney Hogg. Hogg had labeled the West Indies team as 'pathetic and hapless.' Brathwaite, flexing his biceps, challenged Hogg's assessment and credited it as motivation for his team's spirited fightback.

"We won a Test match in Australia. It does a lot for West Indies cricket. It means a lot. It's been a number of years since we've won a Test match here. But my message to the group is that this is the beginning. It's amazing, we enjoy this, but this has to continue. I'm extremely proud,” Brathwaite declared.

“I must say we had two words that inspired us in this Test match. Mr. Rodney Hogg said that we were 'pathetic and hopeless.' That was our inspiration. We wanted to show the world we're not pathetic.”

Brathwaite then singled out Joseph for his remarkable performance.

“I knew I had Shamar probably an hour before play. The doctor said he got an injection and he's quite good and then he told me he's going to do it. I had to back him. He's a superstar and I know he'll do great things for West Indies in the future. Just his belief. It's a great example for this team to follow. As I said, this is the beginning. We have to continue and play with heart and keep fighting for West Indies. I would love more Test cricket for sure," declared Brathwaite.

The final day's play saw Steven Smith standing as the lone barrier against Joseph's onslaught. Smith's unbeaten 91, however, wasn't enough to save Australia as Joseph dismissed key batters in quick succession, setting up an intense and nail-biting finish.

 Resuming from their overnight total of 60-3 with Steve Smith on 30 and Cameron Green on nine, Australia appeared to be cruising towards the target of 216 at 113 for 2 until Joseph struck with the wickets of Cameron Green and Travis Head in consecutive deliveries.

He then dismissed Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey as Australia lost 4 for 23.

Joseph claimed his second five-wicket haul in as many matches by dismissing Mitchell Starc, who had briefly counterattacked.

Joseph, who had sunk to his knees with his head on the ground pushed through the pain and exhaustion to nick off Pat Cummins.

The umpires extended play 20 minutes after Joseph dismissed Cummins, but neither he or Alzarri Joseph could not get through Smith and Lyon. After the break Alzarri dismissed Lyon with Australia still needing 27.

Joseph would not be denied and flattened Josh Hazlewood’s off stump too see the underdogs claim a famous victory.

The hosts began Thursday’s day three in Bloemfontein 104-3 with a commanding 252-run lead with Zubayr Hamza unbeaten on 33 and Khaya Zondo on 29.

While Zondo was dismissed quickly for 31, Hamza carried on to make a brilliant 110* off 152 balls including 12 fours and a six.

He shared in a crushing 159-run fifth wicket partnership with Ruan de Swardt who made a 126-ball 86 including nine fours and a six.

South Africa eventually declared at 272-5 off 66 overs, leaving the West Indies “A” needing a massive 421 for victory.

Shamar Joseph took all five wickets for the West Indians while conceding 76 runs in 18 overs.

Windies “A” ended the day 47-1 off 20 overs, with Zachary McCaskie being the batsman dismissed for eight.

Kirk McKenzie (26) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (11) are the batsmen at the crease.

Full Scores:

South Africa “A” 274 off 67.4 overs (Khaya Zondo 70, Neil Brand 62, Zubayr Hamza 30, Kevin Sinclair 5-44, Shamar Joseph 3-65, Shermon Lewis 2-68) & 272-5 dec. off 66 overs (Zubayr Hamza 110*, Ruan de Swardt 86, Khaya Zondo 31, Raynard Van Tonder 30, Shamar Joseph 5-76)

West Indies “A” 126 off 42.5 overs (Kevin Sinclair 50, Jordan Johnson 33, Dane Paterson 4-34, Hardus Viljoen 2-43) & 47-1 off 20 overs (Kirk McKenzie 26*, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 11*)

According to ESPNCricinfo, the ECB pulled Wood, a centrally contracted player, out of IPL 2024 to manage his workload, with the T20 World Cup scheduled in June and England hosting West Indies and Sri Lanka for Tests in the home summer.

Recently, the ECB had prevented Jofra Archer from being a part of the IPL 2024 auction as it manages his comeback from injury leading up to the T20 World Cup.

Super Giants had signed Wood in the auction before the 2022 season for INR 7.50 crore. He, however, missed that season because of an elbow injury. In IPL 2023, Wood played four matches and picked up 11 wickets at an average of 11.82.

Joseph made his West Indies debut in the drawn series against Australia, dismissing Steven Smith with his first ball in Test cricket, in a game West Indies lost in Adelaide. He then became a worldwide phenomenon when he took a seven-wicket haul in the final innings despite an injured foot to give West Indies a dramatic eight-run win at the Gabba in the second Test. It was West Indies' first Test win in Australia since 1997.

Joseph had been signed by Dubai Capitals for the ongoing ILT20 season before West Indies' tour of Australia, but was subsequently ruled out because of the toe injury he suffered in the Brisbane Test when a Mitchell Starc yorker struck him. But his performance in Australia has since landed him a deal with Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL, which starts on February 17.

While Joseph has just played two T20 games in his professional career, and doesn't have a wicket to show yet, West Indies white-ball coach Daren Sammy has indicated that Joseph could find a berth in the T20 World Cup squad, saying the fast bowler has "created a good headache" for the selectors.

Apart from Joseph, the Super Giants' fast-bowling line-up has Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan, David Willey, Shivam Mavi, Yash Thakur and Yudhvir Singh. They also have allrounders Marcus Stoinis, Kyle Mayers and India's Under-19 World Cupper Arshin Kulkarni, who can give them quite a few overs. Though just two seasons old in the IPL, Super Giants have been one of the best-performing teams, making the playoffs and finishing third both in 2022 and 2023.

The 24-year-old, who worked for a security firm prior to his switch to professional cricket, made his first-class debut in February 2023 for the Guyana Harpy Eagles against the Barbados Pride.

Joseph played in just three games and took nine wickets to help the Harpy Eagles lift the West Indies Championship title for the sixth time in eight years.

Though his numbers may not have been that impressive, he showed enough promise to be selected as part of the West Indies A squad for their tour of South Africa in December.

The South Africans won the series 2-1 but it was a coming out party for Joseph who was the joint leading wicket taker for the West Indians with 12 wickets at an average of 21.25 and a strike rate of 34.50.

That performance led to him being selected in the West Indies squad for their upcoming two-Test series against the mighty Australia.

“It’s amazing for me to be honest, knowing that I’ve been putting in a lot of work back at home and now getting the rewards for it, it’s been really nice for me,” Joseph said in an interview after day two of the West Indies’ three-day warm-up game against a Cricket Australia XI.

The first Test bowls off in Adelaide on Tuesday and there is a decent chance Joseph will be earning his maiden Test cap.

If he does end up making his debut, he will be hoping to make his family proud.

“They will watch and they will support. I know that support is out there for me so I will definitely do my best to make them proud,” he said.

He credits West Indian greats including the likes of Sir Curtley Ambrose and Courtney Walsh as his main inspirations as a fast bowler.

“I was intrigued by a lot of fast bowlers back then like Sir Curtley (Ambrose) and Courtney Walsh and these men so, I really love it. That works for me so I just continue doing that and it brings success for me,” he said before going into what he feels makes him successful as a fast bowler.

“I just adjust to conditions. Just stick to the basics and be consistent as much as I can. I just try to bowl fuller when the ball is doing much for me,” he said.

Joseph took 2-28 from his eight overs to help the West Indies restrict Cricket Australia XI to 174 in their first innings.

He bowled a few no-balls but he put this down to a bit of nerves.

“I think I was a bit too fast getting to the crease. I just had to adjust my self and get back to my rhythm and that worked well for me today,” he said.

The West currently lead by 214 runs heading into the final day on Friday and Joseph says he’s ready to go if needed.

“I’m just ready to go. Always prepared to fight the war ahead of me,” he said.

Enoch Lewis, CWI Director and Chair of the Cricket Development and Performance Committee expressed, "As exhilarated as we are, it is also dutiful to elevate Shamar Joseph to a CWI International retainer contract. His extraordinary talent and steadfast dedication serve as the cornerstone of our team's recent triumph at the Gabba, and such promise merits its due recognition. Shamar has not just been rewarded with a retained contract he has earned it.”

"Shamar Joseph's remarkable debut series showcased his prowess with 13 wickets in two matches, including a match-winning spell of 7 for 68 in the decisive second test. His performance, coupled with his dedication, exemplifies the spirit of West Indies cricket."

Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, remarked, "Shamar's elevation to a CWI International retainer contract reflects his potential and the bright future ahead for West Indies cricket. We have also offered Chemar Holder a franchise contract as we double down on securing the best fast-bowling talent available. We are excited to see both men continue to excel.”

"With these contract upgrades, CWI reaffirms its commitment to nurturing talent and fostering excellence within the team. Shamar Joseph's journey exemplifies the promising future of West Indies cricket, and we look forward to his continued success. Meanwhile, we will continue to support Chemar Holder who returned from injury rehabilitation and has shown signs of eagerness to be reintegrated at the highest level.”

The full list of Men’s International retainers for 2023/24 are:

CONTRACTED PLAYERS

West Indies Men

1. Alick Athanaze
2. Kraigg Brathwaite
3. Keacy Carty
4. Tagenarine Chanderpaul
5. Joshua Da Silva
6. Shai Hope
7. Akeal Hosein
8. Alzarri Joseph
9. Shamar Joseph
10. Brandon King
11. Gudakesh Motie
12. Rovman Powell
13. Kemar Roach
14. Jayden Seales
15. Romario Shepherd

Sent into bat, the Caribbean men struggled to put up a decent total, managing only 188 runs. The top order collapsed, with the team reeling at 133-9, courtesy of the relentless pace duo of Australia's captain Pat Cummins, who took 4-41 and Josh Hazlewood’s 4-44. The lone resistance came from Kirk McKenzie, playing in only his second Test, who scored a gritty half-century amid the crumbling wickets.

It was then that Shamar Joseph, the West Indies' No.11, strode to the crease with determination. The Guyanese player showcased unexpected resilience, smashing 36 runs and contributing significantly to a 10th-wicket partnership of 55 runs alongside fellow bowler Kemar Roach, who remained unbeaten on 17. This unexpected lower-order resistance helped the West Indies reach a somewhat more respectable total.

Buoyed by his batting heroics the debutant carried his positive momentum into the bowling attack. In a stunning turn of events, he dismissed the dangerous Steve Smith, who had been promoted to open the innings following David Warner's retirement. Smith, who had been in sublime touch, fell to Joseph's clever bowling for just 12.

Joseph's dream debut continued as he followed up with the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, who made 10, further denting Australia's innings. He finished the day with figures of 2-18 from his six overs as the hosts ended the day at 59-2, with Usman Khawaja (30) and Cameron Green (6) at the crease.

Notably, Joseph's dream debut wasn't just about his all-around performance. He etched his name in history by becoming the 23rd player in Test history, and the second from the West Indies, to take a wicket with his very first ball in Test cricket. And it wasn't just any wicket.

"Getting Steve Smith, I'll remember this for the rest of my life," Joseph exclaimed after the day's play. "I'll actually take a picture and post it up in my house." He had already predicted to his teammates that he would get a wicket with his first ball, and when it happened, he credited his positive mindset for the success.

"I didn't know it was Steve Smith," Joseph admitted. "That went well for me. You're coming up against the best team in Test cricket. So I just came with a positive mindset and did what I do best."

The West Indies could have been in an even stronger position had Joshua da Silva, who managed only six runs in the West Indies innings, held onto a catch after Alzarri Joseph found Khawaja’s edge when the Australian opener was on three, during the second over of the hosts’ innings.

The Windwards began day three 48-2 off 17 overs in their second innings, leading the Harpy Eagles by 173 runs with Kavem Hodge (3) and Sunil Ambris (18) at the crease.

The second ball of the day saw Hodge fall to Ronsford Beaton after failing to add to his overnight total.

Justin Greaves joined Ambris at the crease and the pair put on a further 37 runs for the fourth wicket before Ambris fell caught behind off the bowling of Shamar Joseph for 26 in the 30^th over.

Not long after, with the score on 101, Greaves went in the exact same way as Ambris for 27 in the 34^th over.

Ryan John and Tevyn Walcott added only two runs before John was dismissed by Joseph for one in the 36^th over.

Walcott was joined at the crease by Kimani Melius and the pair added 15 runs before Walcott became the seventh man to fall, going for 23 to leave the Volcanoes 118-7 in the 40^th over.

Regular opener Melius, who made a career-best 192 in round one, batted at eight after being off the field with a groin injury and could only manage six runs before falling to Joseph with the score on 129 in the 42^nd over.

Preston McSween and Kenneth Dember then put on the second highest partnership of the innings with 33 for the ninth wicket before McSween fell to Beaton for 25 with the score on 162 in the 54^th over.

Dember was the last man to fall, going leg before wicket to Verrasammy Permaul for 15 as the Volcanoes were bowled out for 168 in 56.3 overs, meaning the Harpy Eagles would need 294 runs to record their second outright win of the season.

Shamar Joseph took a career-best 5-41 from 12 overs while Ronsford Beaton took 3-35 from 15 overs.

Rain then brought an end to the day’s proceedings with the Harpy Eagles on 35-0 off 14.3 overs requiring a further 259 runs on the final day for victory.

Matthew Nandu (18) and Tevin Imlach (13) are the batsmen at the crease. Chandrapaul Hemraj earlier retired hurt while on three.

Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes 294 off 80.5 overs (Alick Athanaze 141, Ryan John 51*, Sunil Ambris 47, Veerasammy Permaul 4-70, Ronsford Beaton 2-50, Kevin Sinclair 2-66) and 168 off 56.3 overs (Justin Greaves 27, Sunil Ambris 26, Preston McSween 25, Shamar Joseph 5-41, Ronsford Beaton 3-35)

Guyana Harpy Eagles 169 off 63.1 overs (Veerasammy Permaul 53, Kevin Sinclair 23, Justin Greaves 5-24, Ryan John 2-52) and 35-0 off 14.3 overs (Matthew Nandu 18*, Tevin Imlach 13*)