Things are tightly poised heading into Day 3 of the second Test between Australia and the West Indies after carnage unfolded on Friday.
The West Indies began the day 35 runs in the lead but one down after opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s poor series with the bat ended with the last ball of day two, when he was dismissed for just four runs.
Pat Cummins’ impressive 64 not out and Alex Carey’s quick fire 65 were the highlights of Day 2 for the Aussies.
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Those knocks were needed after the Windies, led by Alzari Joseph’s four wickets, ripped through the Aussie top order, with questions being raised whether selecting Steve Smith to open was the right call.
Cummins came in at 7/161 and guided Australia to a total of 9/289 before declaring late in order have a 30-minute crack at the West Indies batsmen.
Carey said after the day’s play that it was “the best I’ve ever seen” Cummins bat.
“He’s an amazing cricketer, isn’t he?” Carey said.
Earlier, Steve Smith had another misfire in his new role as Test opener after he was trapped in front by Kemar Roach.
Roach said he had pinpointed a weakness for Smith and went after it.
Skull opens up on ‘sluggish’ Smith | 01:40
“Obviously you see how he bats, he gets far across and with the new ball, you give yourself a better chance. So I backed myself to get him out today and it happened so lucky for me,” he said.
Smith is averaging just 34.33 this Test summer with only one more innings to go.
“It’s in his mind,” Kerry O’Keeffe told Fox Sports News’ Test Cricket Daily.
“We know his technique will be scrutinised but I think it’s more mental than technical for Steve Smith at the moment.”
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