BRISBANE: Shamar Joseph braved a toe injury and grabbed 7-68 as the young fast bowler inspired the West Indies to its first win in Australia in 27 years in a gripping conclusion to the day-night test at the Gabba on Sunday.
Joseph, who hobbled off the field late Saturday evening when he was struck by a searing Mitchell Starc yorker from the final ball of West Indies’ second innings, flattened Australia for 207 to give the West Indies a memorable win by eight runs.
Opening batter Steve Smith was left stranded with an unbeaten 91 off 146 balls as Joseph kept coming hard at the Australian batters with his pace.
“Shout out for my teammates for their support,” Joseph told broadcasters soon after masterminding West Indies’ memorable win. “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.”
The 24-year-old Joseph, who made his test debut at Adelaide where the West Indies lost by 10 wickets inside three days, sprinted toward boundary in joy as he clean bowled No. 11 Josh Hazlewood and leveled the two-match series 1-1.
“I just stuck to the basics,” Joseph said. “I feel like we win the entire series by winning this test ... I cried for my five-wicket haul but I’m so happy now. I’m not even tired. I would have kept bowling.”
West Indies had not beaten Australia in a test match since it won by 10 wickets at WACA in 1997, and Cameron Green and Smith well negotiated the first hour after they resumed the 216-run chase at 60-2 and raised Australia hopes of finishing the home test summer 5-0 after it routed Pakistan 3-0 and also won the first test against the West Indies in dominant style.
But Joseph returned with a stunning spell of fast bowling to breathe life when he grabbed 6-60 off an unchanged ten overs spell before the first session ended that left Australia still needing 29.
Joseph reached speeds of close to 150 kph (93 mph) and tore through the Australian middle order in a breathtaking spell. He bowled Green (42) to break a 71-run stand before blasting through Head’s defense with a superb yorker with his next ball while bowling the lefthander from around the wicket.
It was the second time in the match that Head was dismissed first ball.
Mitch Marsh (10) and Alex Carey (two) both came and went quickly as Australia wobbled and belief grew for West Indies of achieving a stunning upset.
Starc made a quickfire 21 before he became Joseph’s fifth wicket when he was caught by Kevin Sinclair at cover. Cummins, who scored a career-high 64 not out in the first innings, could only manage two before he edged a ball through to Joshua da Silva with Australia still requiring 41 runs to win.
Smith and Lyon brought down the target to 29, but Alzarri Joseph had Lyon caught behind soon after the break, one ball after he couldn’t grab a tough return catch.
Smith then played a superb lapshot for a six off Alzarri Joseph over fine leg and brought the target down to single digits.
But Shamar Joseph would have the final say as he uprooted Hazlewood’s off stump with another pacey delivery to seal West Indies’ famous win amid wild celebrations by the tourists.
“Obvious disappointment after a loss but that was a fantastic test match and a fantastic series,” Cummins said. “I thought in particular, Shamar, the way he bowled today, he was right up for it and unfortunately we weren’t good enough.
“I thought West Indies were fantastic. They outplayed us this week. Sometimes you always learn the lessons the hard way.”
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said his team-mates got pumped up by former Australian cricketer Rodney Hogg’s criticism, heading into the Gabba test.
“I must say we had two words that inspired us in this test match,” Brathwaite said. “Mr. Rodney Hogg said that we were ‘pathetic and hopeless’. That that was our inspiration. We wanted to show the world we’re not pathetic. And I must ask him, are these muscles big enough for him?“
Brathwaite praised Joseph’s brilliant fast bowling and said he came to know about Joseph’s availability only an hour before fourth day’s play.
“The doctor said he got an injection and he’s quite good and then he told me he’s going to do it,” Brathwaite said. “I had to back him. He’s a superstar and I know he’ll do great things for West Indies in the future.
“We have to continue and play with heart and keep fighting for West Indies. I would love more test cricket for sure.”
Joseph’s 7-68 guides West Indies to stunning win, dashes Australia hopes after Pakistan rout
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Joseph’s 7-68 guides West Indies to stunning win, dashes Australia hopes after Pakistan rout
- Cameron Green, Steve Smith raised Australia hopes of finishing home test summer 5-0 after it routed Pakistan 3-0
- But Shamar Joseph flattened the Australian side for 207 runs to give the West Indies a memorable win by eight runs
Al-Ittihad slump to fourth defeat of season in home loss to Al-Ettifaq
- Visitors’ Khalid Al-Ghannam scores only goal of the game as the reigning Saudi Pro League champs drop more points after drawing with Damac on Tuesday
- Earlier, Al-Fateh’s five-game winning streak ends with 1-1 draw against Al-Najma, and Al-Khaleej enjoy comfortable 4-1 victory over Al-Okhdood
RIYADH: Al-Ittihad’s disappointing defense of their Saudi Pro League title continued on Friday with a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Al-Ettifaq.
Khalid Al-Ghannam scored the decisive goal for the visitors as the hosts dropped more points after their draw with Damac on Tuesday.
In the absence of Fabinho, who was suspended after being sent off late in Tuesday’s match, Mahamadou Doumbia partnered with N’golo Kante in midfield for Al-Ittihad. The Malian showed his composure early on when he shielded the ball under pressure before unleashing a long-range shot in the 10th minute, but it was comfortably saved by Marek Rodak.
The deployment of Al-Ghannam proved pivotal, as he repeatedly tested the hosts. In the 23rd minute he burst down the left flank, beating three defenders with some clever dribbling before testing Predrag Rajkovic in goal, who parried the effort.
Al-Ghannam bothered the defense again just minutes later, threatening the Serbian goalkeeper with another attempt from a similar position. However, the game remained goalless at halftime.
The second half began with Al-Ittihad on the front foot. Within minutes, Roger Fernandes found himself in front of goal and put the ball in the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Al-Ghannam’s effort and influence eventually paid off for the visitors in the 54th minute. Operating as a left-sided striker during an Al-Ettifaq counterattack, he cut inside to curl a powerful shot into the far corner.
Al-Ittihad’s attacking approach varied as they fought to get back into the game, with Fernandes patrolling the left flank, Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti cutting inside near the byline, and central contributions from the combination of Doumbia and Steven Bergwijn. But the Al-Ettifaq defense remained resolute.
Danilo Pereira, pushing up into an advanced midfield position as Al-Ittihad forced Al-Ettifaq to defend deep, unleashed a long shot in the 67th minute, urged on by the home fans, but his effort went wide.
With time running out, Sergio Conceicao made four substitutions in the space of seven minutes, bringing on Ahmed Al-Julaydan at right-back for his crossing abilities, Abdulaziz Al-Bishi and Ahmed Al-Ghamdi to play between the lines, and Saleh Al-Shehri for added impetus up front.
Despite several chances, Al-Ittihad were unable to grab the equalizer, and in the 85th minute things got even worse for them. Keeper Rajkovic tripped on his way to confront a Mohau Nkota counterattack and stuck out his hand at the edge of the box to push the ball away. A review by the video assistant referee ruled he had handled the ball outside the box and he was shown the red card.
After seven minutes of added time, and one final attempt by Doumbia to salvage something for the hosts through a free-kick, the referee blew the final whistle.
It was the fourth defeat of the season for Al-Ittihad and means they remain in sixth place in the table, three behind Al-Qadsiah who have a game in hand. Al-Ettifaq are seventh, just two points behind the defending champions.
Earlier, Al-Fateh’s five-game winning streak came to an end when they returned from a trip to Qassim to face Al-Najma with only a point. The visitors took the lead in the 12th minute but a goal for the home side by Ali Jasim in the 75th denied them all three points as the game ended 1-1.
In the Eastern Province, Greek duo Giorgos Masouras and Kostas Fortounis proved the main inspirations for Al-Khaleej in a 4-1 victory over Al-Okhdood that temporarily lifted them into seventh place in the table, until Al-Ettifaq reclaimed the spot.
On Saturday, Al-Fayha face Damac, Al-Kholood take on fourth-place Al-Ahli, and second-place Al-Nassr are in action against Al-Shabab.
