On a pitch laced with pace and bounce at Kensington Oval, West Indies rediscovered their fast-bowling glory days as Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph dismantled Australia for just 180 on day one of the opening Test in Barbados.
Seales bagged a stunning five-wicket haul while Joseph claimed four, leaving the Aussies in tatters early on. However, the day’s drama didn’t end there. With 16 wickets falling in total, Australia’s quicks—led by Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood—struck back late in the day, reducing the hosts to 57-4 by stumps.
Fast Bowling Firestorm in Bridgetown
Returning from injury, Seales was virtually unplayable. “This one was pretty special,” he said after finishing with 5 wickets. “We knew the plan was to bowl full and target the stumps, and it worked.”
Joseph, the 25-year-old pacer who famously tormented Australia in a previous series, started the carnage by trapping debutant Sam Konstas LBW in the fourth over. He then dismissed Cameron Green with a searing delivery edged to second slip.
The hosts’ early joy turned into a full-fledged rout. Seales joined in, forcing a thick edge from Josh Inglis before wrapping up the Australian tail in clinical fashion. He ended with figures of 5 for 41, while Joseph supported him well with 4 for 44.
Jayden Seales is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting young pacers in world cricket, and this performance could cement his legacy.
Brief Australian Resistance
Veterans Usman Khawaja (47) and Travis Head (59) provided the only meaningful resistance with an 89-run partnership. But once Khawaja fell to Joseph just shy of a half-century, the floodgates opened again.
Middle-order batters Beau Webster and Alex Carey couldn’t hold the innings together, while skipper Pat Cummins managed 28 before Seales closed the chapter with a peach of a delivery to wrap the innings at 180.
Australia Fight Back With the Ball
If Australia were demoralized, they didn’t show it with the ball. Cummins’ leadership shone through as he and Starc exploited the same demons in the pitch. Starc struck early, dismissing Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell.
Cummins then got Keacy Carty caught behind, while Hazlewood cleaned up nightwatchman Jomel Warrican for a duck. West Indies closed the day at 57 for 4, trailing by 123 runs.
Test Cricket at Its Best
With seam movement, aggression, and momentum shifts throughout, day one in Barbados was a classic reminder of why Test cricket still thrills. The Kensington Oval surface challenged both sides’ top orders and made bowlers the true stars of the show.
“Shamar was special today,” Seales added. “He got through the top order and made it easy for us.” Joseph’s sharp bouncers and toe-crushing yorkers gave shades of the legendary Caribbean pace attacks from the 80s and 90s.
What’s Next?
With West Indies four down and still trailing, day two promises another gripping chapter. Can the hosts build a lead, or will Australia bowl them out and erase day one’s damage?
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Conclusion
West Indies vs Australia in Barbados is living up to its billing with fierce bowling, strategic brilliance, and raw Test match drama. With Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph breathing life into West Indies pace legacy, and Australia hitting back late, cricket fans are in for a memorable contest.