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Jason Holder unbeaten 82 limits West Indies’ deficit, but Australia still hold advantage
West Indies' No.8 attacks all bowlers for a brief respite from Australian pressure, but at lunch, overall deficit is 201
Published: Jun 13, 2015, 10:37 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 13, 2015, 11:06 PM (IST)
Focused West Indies‘ bowling but pragmatic negotiation by Australian openers, at lunch on the third day in Kingston, looking to build the lead of 179 runs seemed to get Australia moving towards a predicted path for victory. Josh Hazlewood registered his best figures of his career, with a five-wicket haul, at an economy of 2.40 that was lowest of all the bowlers, proof of his quality and control. But there was period of surprise in the morning. 77 runs were scored, but they were done in less than 13 overs, through positive, entertaining and creative strokeplay from Jason Holder. LIVE SCORECARD: West Indies vs Australia, 2nd Test, Kingston, Day 3
Holder seemed to have arrived to bat in the morning with a conviction in his attacking approach. He was making room when faced with full deliveries, and smoothly lofting the balls towards the wide mid-off region. Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc were piqued enough to make some remarks to him. Starc’s expression of surprise and intrigue at a slash through point for four was the highlight of the effect Holder had on the Australians for the best part of the first hour. LIVE UPDATES: West Indies vs Australia, 2nd Test, Kingston, Day 3
At the other end, Kemar Roach was defending deliveries with resolve After having witnessed the oozing of positivity at the other end, he also played a couple of attacking drives, one against the quick, full delivery of Mitchell Johnson. But eventually, his limitations as a batsman against the quality of the Australian bowling attack got exposed, as he edged an accurate, good-length delivery from Hazlewood to the wicketkeeper Brad Haddin in the 60th over. The West Indies innings ended within two deliveries of that wicket, with a full delivery getting Taylor leg-before-wicket.
Hazlewood, with this, completed five wickets in the innings, the second time he had done this in his short career so far.
At the start of the day, Darren Lehmann, Australia’s coach, had spoken about his team’s inability to make a decision on the enforcement of follow-on if the two wickets left to be taken fell below legitimate follow-on target of 200. He had voiced his cautiousness with having Holder still batting, since he had impressed with his batting before And in the event that he batted for some time, Australians wouldn’t be inclined to force the follow-on, he had indicated. But the matter was taken out of his hands. Before the abrupt end to the innings, it looked as though Holder would limit Australia’s lead to very few runs.
The unbeaten 82 was his second-best score in his seven-Test career He had scored an unbeaten century to lift his side to a draw from similarly worrying circumstances in the fourth innings against England in April this year.
Brief scores:
Australia 399 (Steven Smith 199, Michael Clarke 47; Jerome Taylor 6 for 47) and 22 for 0 (Shaun Marsh 14*, David Warner 8*) lead West Indies 220 (Jermaine Blackwood 51, Jason Holder 82*; Josh Hazlewood 5 for 38) by 201 runs