West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph led a fierce opening-day bowling onslaught against Australia in Bridgetown, dismissing key batsmen and reducing the visitors to 65/3 at lunch in the first Test of the series. His betrayals of teenage opener Sam Konstas and No. 3 Cameron Green were the catalysts for Australia’s unraveling.
Joseph’s incisive spell—4 for 46—came as a response to criticism from Australia’s Ian Healy, who had earlier branded his performance “crap.” Joseph let his bowling answer instead, delivering one of “the best deliveries I’ve bowled in my life” when he uprooted the stumps of all-rounder Beau Webster.
Partnering effectively with Jayden Seales, who claimed a five-for, the West Indies bundled Australia out for just 180. The pair exploited the jaffa-paced conditions, leaving Australia’s top order in disarray and raising fresh alarms about the visitors’ fragile batting lineup ahead of the Ashes.
While Australia’s quicks fought back in the evening—Mitchell Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood shared four wickets—West Indies took a healthy first-day lead, closing at 57/4 while still trailing by 123 runs
