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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Rob Smyth

West indies beat Australia by eight runs: second Test, day four – as it happened

Australia West Indies
Shamar Joseph of the West Indies with arms outstretched celebrates the wicket of Australia’s Alex Carey on day four of the second Test at the Gabba
Shamar Joseph of the West Indies celebrates the wicket of Australia’s Alex Carey on day four of the second Test at the Gabba. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

There’s plenty for Australia to reflect on, from Marnus Labuschagne’s form to Pat Cummins’ declaration on day two. But that can wait. Today is all about the beauty of West Indian cricket, Test cricket and most of all Shamar Joseph, who has infused us all with joy and hope. Thanks for your company and emails; I’ll leave you with this rhetorical question.

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Shamar Joseph grew up in a village of around 350 people, which until five years ago didn’t even have the internet. Now he’s gone viral after single-handedly taking Australia apart.

Meanwhile, in Hyderabad…

Test cricket RIP, part two.

Match report: Shamar Joseph inspires epic West Indies win

Australia retain the Frank Worrell Trophy, though their celebrations are understndably subdued. They’re still trying to make sense of what just happened; we all are.

Pat Cummins’ reaction

There’s always disappointment after a loss but it was a great Test and a great series. The way Shamar bowled today… he was right up for it and unfortunately we weren’t good enough. You always learn the lessons the hard way.

West Indies were fantastic and outplayed us this week. They’re always great to watch aren’t they? 1-1 is a pretty fair result for the series.

“I’m in Australia with my wife having flown over from the UK to be at the Gabba for the first two days,” writes Michael Waudby. “We feel privileged to have been there but will the result make the ‘big three’ think again about how this wonderful game is financed or will they quietly preserve the status quo and make it even more difficult for days like this to be repeated.”

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Kraigg Brathwaite’s reaction: 'Are these muscles big enough?'

It means a lot. My message to the group is that this is the beginning – it’s amazing, we’ll enjoy it, but it has to continue.

We had two words that inspired us. Mr Rodney Hogg said we were “pathetic” and “hopeless”, so that was our motivation. We wanted to show the world we’re not pathetic. And I must ask him [flexes his bicep], are these muscles big enough for him?

We found out an hour before play that [Shamar Joseph] might be able to bowl. He’s a superstar and he’ll do great things for West Indies. He has so much belief. We would like to play more Test cricket – that’s how you learn.

The player of the series is the joyful Shamar Joseph, who bows to the crowd and then steps forward for another interview.

It’s an amazing feeling. I just want to turn this way to give out a shout-out to my teammates and the management for giving me so much encouragement. I wanted to do this for them and everyone in the Caribbean. Thanks to the supporters here for pushing us and believing in us.

Where is Dr Byam?! He called me this morning and said, ‘How are you feeling?’ I said, ‘Not well’, but he encouraged me to come to the ground.

I was crying when I took my fifth wicket but they were tears of joy, that I might bring this home for my team. They encouraged me so much.

It’s West Indies’ first win in Australia since 1997 and their first anywhere since 2003. It’s also the first time this century they’ve avoided defeat in a series against the Aussies.

“Many adult Australians remain familiar with prime minister Bob Hawke’s victory cry when Australia II won the America’s Cup in 1983 - ‘any boss who sacks a worker for taking the day off tomorrow is a grub!’,” says Eamonn Maloney. “I make a similar slur toward any Australian present at the Gabba who is unwilling to risk 24 hours in the slammer to run onto the pitch in a 70s/80s style right now to slap Shamar Joseph on the back (I mean well done for showing up, but).”

It’s about as good as it gets, an historic performance overflowing with – sod it, it’s time for the alliteration - courage, charisma, charm, chutzpah and Caribbeanness. I’m neutral and I’ve had a big dumb grin on my face all morning.

There’s only one downside: two-Test series stink.

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The great and the good react to West Indies’ victory

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Shamar Joseph: 'I wasn't going to come to the ground'

A shoutout to my teammates for the encouragement they gave me even when I was in my so much pain with my toe. It’s not the best.

I wasn’t even going to come to the ground today! I must give a shout out to the doctor – he’s amazing. He told me to come to the ground, even if it was just to support the guys. And then he did something to my toe. I don’t know what it did but it worked!

I was sticking to the basics: top of off. I wasn’t worried if they hit boundaries – I just tried to find the right areas and do it for my team. Even though it’s 1-1, it feels like we’ve won the series! I must give another shoutout to my team. When did we last beat Australia, I can’t even remember.

I’m not that tired because I wanted to do this for my team. I’m okay. I’m told my skipper I would keep bowling until the last wicket fell.

Steve Smith carried his bat for 91, a near flawless innings. All the Australian players are warmly congratulating Shamar Joseph, who is smiling so hard that his face must be hurting almost as much as his toe. Australia were in total control at 113 for two, and then Shamar Joseph… I don’t know what he did, but we’ll never forget it.

Shamar Joseph completes an astounding performance by pegging back Josh Hazlewood’s off stump. He keeps going straight towards the boundary, like a child running downhill as fast as possible. Right now he is experiencing a euphoria most of us will never know. Apparently Brian Lara is in tears in the commentary box. Even my cold, dead, neutral spine is trembling.

It’s only Joseph’s seventh first-class match, his second Test, his big toe is in a disgusting state – and he has just bowled a spell of 11.5-0-68-7 to give West Indies their first Test over Australia in over 20 years. I swear we’ll never see a debut series like this ever again.

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WEST INDIES WIN BY 8 RUNS!

WICKET! Australia 207 all out (Hazlewood b S Joseph 0) Shamar Joseph has done it!!!!! I can’t spake!!!!!

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49th over: Australia 204-9 (target 216; Smith 88, Hazlewood 0) Australia’last, and indeed only, one-wicket win in a Test was against West Indies at the MCG in 1951-52. Smith moves them closer to another by ramping Alzarri Joseph for six, an extraordinary shot in any circumstances, never mind these.

Smith misses an uppercut before stealing a single to give Hazlewood two more deliveries to survive. He does, and a no-ball brings Australia’s target down to 12. They’re one hit away.

Updated

48th over: Australia 196-9 (Smith 81, Hazlewood 0) Shamar Joseph’s first ball is pulled witheringly for four by Smith. Twenty-one to win. He turns down a single off the third delivery, then takes one off the fourth. It was almost the last ball of the match, a vicious lifter that Smith gloved just short of the solitary slip.

This is tremendous stuff. Hazlewood keeps out his first ball: full and straight at 146kph. The second is speared too far wide of off stump.

47th over: Australia 191-9 (Smith 76, Hazlewood 0) That was the last ball over the over, and now it’s Shamar Joseph to Steve Smith. Only one of them can be the matchwinner.

WICKET! Australia 191-9 (Lyon c da Silva b A Joseph 9)

Lyon has been dropped! He drove the ball straight back at Alzarri Joseph, who put down a relatively straightforward chance in his follow through.

Doesn’t matter. Lyon goes next ball, under-edging a pull to da Silva! I think he walked too. West Indies are one wicket away from a mind-blowing victory.

The players are back on the field. Australia need 29 runs, West Indies need two wickets. Stress balls at the ready.

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“The applause the man received at the break shows how many in this country – often derided for being among the more one eyed – take the health of Test cricket above parochialism,” writes Eamonn Maloney. “One man won’t save Test cricket but I am glad not to be alone among Australians seriously considering a Shamar tattoo at this time.

“On the subject of saving the game and Robert Speed’s email, internationals playing Sheffield Shield used to be a lot more common and it would not be a bad idea at all for national cricket boards who are disinclined to share the wealth at the ICC level to subsidise states to encourage more internationals to play in strong domestic long-form competitions.”

Lunchtime reading

I don’t care if you’ve read it, read it again. Stories like this don’t clome along every decade.

Dinner: Australia need 29 runs to win

Shamar Joseph hobbles off the field to heartfelt applause from his teammates and the small Gabba crowd. He defied a knackered biggie to bowl a stunning spell of 10-0-60-6 and give West Indies hope of one of their greatest victories. His performance almost defies belief – and were it not for an entirely familiar display of batting excellence from Steve Smith, West Indies might already have won this game.

46th over: Australia 187-8 (Smith 76, Lyon 5) Smith again takes a single off Shamar Joseph’s first delivery. His confidence in Lyon has so far been justified, and that continues when Lyon rotates strike two balls later. Smith sees out the over to end an extraordinary session.

46th over: Australia 185-8 (Smith 75, Lyon 4) A bouncer from Alzarri to Smith is rightly called wide. Every little helps. The over passes without alarm for Australia, with Lyon looking pretty secure. He has 4 from 12 balls, Smith 75 from 130.

Shamar Joseph is limping in the outfield, the pain of his toe injury starting to override the adrenaline. It’s the been an awesome effort – if not quite up there with Malcolm Marshall taking seven for 53 in a Test with a broken hand, then certainly not far behind.

45th over: Australia 183-8 (Smith 74, Lyon 4) Shamar begins his ninth consecutive over, a performance of such courage that is almost brings a lump to the throat. Lyon top-edges a hook fractionally short of Sinclair, who is caught in two minds to fine leg. I’m surprised he didn’t try to take the catch, even if it meant potentially giving away a boundary.

Four singles from the over. Australia need 33 to win; there are two overs to go until the tea break.

44th over: Australia 179-8 (Smith 72, Lyon 2) Oof, that was close. Lyon fences at Alzarri Joseph and inside-edges the ball between his legs. He gets a couple of leg-byes later in the over, then works a single to bring the target down to 37. Smith is making no attempt to the farm the strike.

All the classic Tests between these teams are flooding back: Brisbane 1960, Adelaide 1993, Barbados 1999. This one is right up there.

43rd over: Australia 176-8 (Smith 72, Lyon 1) Smith tries to cut Joseph and is beaten. Even his beans are going now. Joseph has unique figures of 8-0-54-6.

“Don’t know where to look!” writes Jim Wallace, who has been OBOing an equally dramatic Test in Hyderabad. “I’m already lying down and I need a lie down.”

Pat Cummins has been dismissed on the stroke of tea. He jumped back in his crease and edged Shamar Joseph to the right of Joshua da Silva, who dived to take a fine catch. Shamar Joseph has taken six wickets in a single spell, with a knackered toe.

Hang on, it should be tea – but Kraigg Brathwaite has claimed the extra 15 minutes. That’s good captaincy because Shamar Joseph is in the middle of the mother, father and extended family of all bowling spells.

Updated

WICKET! Australia 175-8 (Cummins c da Silva b S Joseph 2)

I’ve got no words.

42nd over: Australia 173-7 (Smith 71, Cummins 1) Alzarri Joseph greets Cummins with a peach that somehow misses both the outside edge and the off stump. Cummins edges a one-handed drive that lands well short of gully and survives the remainder of the over. We’ll have time for one more before lunch.

41st over: Australia 171-7 (Smith 70, Cummins 0) Joseph gets a lovely ovation at the end of the over. Whatever he achieves in his career, the memory of this series will always make him smile.

Shamar Joseph is face down on the turf, and I’m not sure whether that’s through emotion, pain or both. Starc died by the sword, top-edging a catch to cover to end a very handy counter-attack of 21 of 14 balls. Joseph has extraordinary figures of 6.5-0-51-5.

Updated

WICKET! Australia 171-7 (Starc c Sinclair b S Joseph 21)

Five wickets for the wonderful Shamar Joseph!

Updated

40th over: Australia 169-6 (Smith 69, Starc 16) Just over 15 minutes to lunch as Alzarri Joseph begins his 12th over. Smith seizes on a short ball, pulling emphatically through midwicket for four. This has been an excellent counter-attacking partnership of 29 from 3.4 overs.

39th over: Australia 161-6 (Smith 65, Starc 16) Shamar Joseph bowls his sixth over. It makes sense to continue while the adrenaline is flowing and his toe isn’t screaming with pain. A full ball is leathered through the covers for four by Smith, his first deliberate boundary of the day. He has so much time, even against a rampant Shamar Joseph.

38th over: Australia 155-6 (Smith 60, Starc 15) Alzarri Joseph returns in place of Greaves. Starc mistimes a pull that teases a couple of fielders before landing safely for a single. He’s in no mood to hang around. He clubs four through mid-on and then splays a cross-bat shot that only just clears mid-off. Both deliveries were no-balls, the second a big one. Australia need 61 to win.

37th over: Australia 146-6 (Smith 59, Starc 9) Starc calmly times his first ball through mid-on for four, an excellent stroke, and then slams another boundary through mid-off. It’s bare-knuckle cricket, and Joseph responds with a very sharp bouncer that beats Starc’s attempted hook.

“This man needs to be playing more first class cricket, specifically but not exclusively, Test cricket,” says Robert Speed. “How about seeing him in the county game, or Sheffield Shield, as well as for the West Indies?

“He is clearly a superstar in the making. Instead he may be lost to various white ball competitions, sadly. But his skill set is perfect for the red ball game. This is cricket’s litmus test.”

It feels like cricket has already failed that particular litmus test. But I do think we’ll see plenty of Shamar Joseph in both red- and white-ball cricket. Money can’t buy the glory he is enjoying right now.

WICKET! Australia 136-6 (Carey b S Joseph 2)

This is turning into a spell for the ages from Shamar Joseph! He was too fast, too straight, too much for Alex Carey, who tried to drive, got nowhere near and was bowled off the pad. What a spell from Joseph: four for 10 in 16 balls, with a busted toe.

Updated

36th over: Australia 134-5 (Smith 59, Carey 0) Greaves hammers a length outside off stump to keep Smith quiet. The last ball is too full and driven for two, but that’s okay for West Indies as it means Carey will be on strike against Joseph. Australia need 82 to win.

35th over: Australia 132-5 (Smith 57, Carey 0) Carey survives an LBW shout first ball after playing all around a nipbacker from round the wicket. It was too high but Joseph is all over Australia, and another marvellous over ends with Carey playing and missing outside off stump.

What on earth have West Indies found here? This is only Shamar Joseph’s seventh first-class match!

WICKET! Australia 132-5 (Marsh c Greaves b S Joseph 10)

The little superstar has done it again! Marsh is squared up by a sharp delivery and edges to second slip, where Athanaze fumbles the catch and Greaves calmly pouches the rebound. Shamar Joseph, whose series was supposed to be over, has taken three wickets in four overs!

Updated

34th over: Australia 127-4 (Smith 56, Marsh 6) Marsh misses out on a couple of deliveries from Greaves, driving to mid-off and then failing to connect with a swing to leg. Runs are still coming freely enough for Australia, 52 in the last nine overs.

33rd over: Australia 123-4 (Smith 54, Marsh 5) Joseph tries to bowl Smith behind his legs with the hat-trick ball, but Smith’s magic hands work the ball for a single.

Joseph’s toe isn’t broken but it must still be extremely sore. You wouldn’t know from the way he’s bounding to the crease and bowling at around 140kph.

Updated

32nd over: Australia 120-4 (Smith 52, Marsh 4) Smith drives Greaves for three to reach a near flawless half-century, his first as an opener, and then Mitch Marsh swings his first ball behind square for four. That’s some shot to play first up.

Greaves hasn’t bowled well this morning – but he almost picks up a wicket when a defensive shot from Marsh drops just short as he swoops forward in his follow through.

31st over: Australia 113-4 (Smith 49, Marsh 0) Shamar Joseph, who will be on a hat-trick at the start of the next over, even takes time to do a TV interview during the drinks break. He’s an absolute joy.

Updated

Head has now been dismissed by his last four deliveries on this ground, all in Test matches. But he was entirely blameless on this occasion. Joseph greeted him with a sizzling yorker that battered into the base of off stump as Head tried desperately to get his bat down in time. This guy is a phenomenon!

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WICKET! Australia 113-4 (Head b S Joseph 0)

A king pair for Travis Head!

Updated

WICKET! Australia 113-3 (Green b S Joseph 42)

Shamar Joseph is bowling a very attacking full length. It’s the eternal risk/reward calculation, and on this occasion it allows Green to lean into a couple of pleasant push-drives for two.

When Joseph pulls his length back, Green times a back cut for four. He’s playing very nicely now. Or rather he was, because Joseph has cleaned him up! It was a length delivery that kicked to hit Green on the elbow and ricochet onto the stumps.

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30th over: Australia 104-2 (Smith 49, Green 33) A decent over from Joseph includes five successive dot balls to keep Smith on 49. For now.

29th over: Australia 103-2 (Smith 49, Green 33) Shamar Joseph comes into the attack, a sight few of us expected to see when Mitchell Starc defiled his big toe last night. He almost strikes with his fourth ball when Green carves just over the leaping Greaves at third slip.

The ball flies away for four, and Green gets another boundary with a classical off-drive. That’s beautiful.

Updated

28th over: Australia 93-2 (Smith 49, Green 24) Green pushes the new bowler Joseph through mid-on for three. After a helluva struggle, particularly last night, he is starting to look more fluent.

Smith has looked fluent throughout, but Joseph turns him round with a lovely delivery that takes the edge and flies away for four. There was no third slip but it bounced short anyway. Those runs bring up an important fifty partnership. All of a sudden Australia are only 103 runs from victory.

“Have you ever heard of the writer John Creasey?” writes Pete Salmon. “Bear with me. When I was growing up there was a mysterious wall of his detective and crime fiction at home – mysterious because my mother, whose books they were, never added to them or took any away – or ever read any. I suppose I could have her asked about them, but I didn’t. Creasey, it turns out, was the most prolific author of all time – something like 620 novels under at least 28 pseudonyms. In 1937 alone he wrote 29.

“The reason I bring this up is I’ve gone old skool the last couple of weeks and been in bed with Covid, which has meant lots of flipping through sport on my phone. Part of my fever dream has been that Rob Smyth basically works 24/7 doing ‘as it happened’. The darts, Rob Smyth; Australia v Uzbekistan in the Asian Cup, Rob Smyth; Ivory Coast v Guinea-Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations, Rob Smyth. I fell asleep at about 10 last night with Rob Smyth doing Nigeria v Cameroon and have woken at 4 am to Rob Smyth doing Australia v West Indies.

“I’m in no fit state to try and work out how many words you have written (have you got any idea?), but I think John Creasey might have nothing on you.”

It’s 29 pseudonyms: you didn’t think Rob Smyth was a real name, did you? (As for the workload, I’m not sure even the trashiest detective novel deserves comparison to a stream-of-consciousness liveblog. Also, sorry about the Covid. If you haven’t seen it, watch Mr Inbetween while you’re stuck in bed. If you have seen it, watch Mr Inbetween again while you’re stuck in bed.)

Updated

27th over: Australia 86-2 (Smith 45, Green 21) A misfield from Brathwaite at mid-off gives Green three bonus runs off Greaves. Australia are looking pretty comfortable now.

Updated

26th over: Australia 80-2 (Smith 43, Green 17) Another hooping inswinger from Roach is defended solidly by Smith. While he’s at the crease Australia will feel secure, but if he goes it might get interesting.

Roach tries another inswinger to Green, but it drifts onto the pads and Green flicks crisply through square leg for the first boundary of the day.

25th over: Australia 75-2 (Smith 42, Green 13) Justin Greaves, who troubled Cam Green last night, replaces Alzarri Joseph. The other Joseph, Shamar, has just come onto the field as well.

Greaves’ first over isn’t the best, including a very wide half-tracker that Smith clatters for a couple. He did well to reach it.

Updated

24th over: Australia 71-2 (Smith 39, Green 12) Smith plays around a big inswinger from Roach and is hit on the pad. Roach is desperate for the LBW, not least because it’s Smith, but it did too much. The ball is starting to do a little bit for the West Indies bowlers.

In other news, there has been a wicket in Hyderabad, where England are also dreaming of a shock victory.

23rd over: Australia 68-2 (Smith 37, Green 11) Smith has started very securely and is able to rotate strike almost at will. Green is eating up dot balls but that’s understandable given his poor form.

Joseph goes wider on the crease to beat him with a jaffa – fuller and swinging away late. The next ball shapes away to thud into the back thigh. Too high for LBW but another excellent delivery.

22nd over: Australia 66-2 (Smith 36, Green 10) No swing yet for the West Indies bowlers, despite the overhead conditions. Roach bowls an accurate but harmless maiden to Green.

21st over: Australia 66-2 (Smith 36, Green 10) Alzarri Joseph, the pick of the bowlers last night, opens up at the other end. Smith waves the first delivery to the cover sweeper to make it three singles from as many balls.

Green is beaten, chasing a wide one, and then works a single off the hip to move into double figures. It’s been a slowish start to the day.

20th over: Australia 63-2 (Smith 35, Green 9) Shamar Joseph isn’t on the field at the start of play. Kemar Roach opens the bowling to Steve Smith with three slips in place; Smith pats the first ball into the leg side and gets off strike.

An extra slip is brought in for Green, who defends solidly and gets a leg bye off the penultimate delivery. Smith does to the last ball of the over as he did the first.

It’s very humid at the Gabba, which should be good news for the West Indies quick bowlers. Though Australia are strong favourites, an almighty shock isn’t beyond the realms. It’s been 27 years since West Indies won a Test in Australia, the match in which Curtly Ambrose took such advantage of the Waca cracks that he was called the fissure king.

Updated

Australia’s women have suffered a surprise defeat to South Africa in the second T20I in Canberra.

Preamble

Hello and welcome to live, over-by-over coverage of the fourth and almost certainly final day at the Gabba. The situation is simple. Australia need 156 more runs to win the series 2-0; West Indies need eight wickets to draw it 1-1; and both teams need the rain to stay away.

There was plenty of rain earlier in the day, but it has cleared for now and play is due to start on time. When it does, Steve Smith will hope to bat with the same authority as yesterday evening: he resumes on 33 not out, with a less convincing Cameron Green on 9.

West Indies have been boosted by the news that Shamar Joseph’s toe wasn’t broken by Mitchell Starc, so he should be able to bowl today. On a pitch that is still playing well, they need early wickets plural.

Updated

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