Australia 138 for 3 at dinner in day/night third Test against West Indies / Photo: Randy Brooks - AFP
Australia 138 for 3 at dinner in day/night third Test against West Indies
Cameron Green missed out on a half-century as Australia reached 138 for three at the dinner break on day one of the day/night third and final Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Saturday.
Fighting to establish himself in the key number three position in the batting order, Green was bowled by Jayden Seales for 46 just 15 minutes before the interval.
His demise broke a 61-run third-wicket partnership with Steve Smith, who resumes in the final session on 36 alongside Travis Head.
It was the home side’s second wicket of the session after Usman Khawaja was well taken by wicketkeeper Shai Hope off Shamar Joseph for a painstaking 23 off 92 balls.
Smith displayed positive intent from the moment he arrived at the crease, taking three consecutive boundaries off Justin Greaves, the man who dismissed him in the second innings of the second Test in Grenada.
West Indies were without fast bowler Alzarri Joseph for the entire session although no official reason was given for his absence.
This is the first pink ball Test to be played in Jamaica and just the second overall hosted in the Caribbean
In pursuit of a clean sweep of the series and opting to bat first after captain Pat Cummins won the toss for the third time in a row, Sam Konstas needed generous helpings of luck to survive the first half-hour.
Konstas was almost run out and then dropped at third slip by debutant Kevlon Anderson off successive balls from Seales before being trapped leg-before for 17 off the first ball bowled by Greaves.
Anderson, who replaced Keacy Carty, is one of three changes to the West Indies team from the second Test in Grenada, which Australia won by 133 runs.
That match was Kraigg Brathwaite’s 100th in Test cricket and possibly his last, as he was dropped in favour of Mikyle Louis for the series finale while left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican returned to the team at the expense of fast-medium bowler Anderson Phillip.
In contrast, Australia dropped their lone specialist spinner, Nathan Lyon, opting for another pacer in Scott Boland. It is a decision they may be left to regret as both Warrican and captain Roston Chase were extracting considerable assistance from the opening day pitch over the first two sessions.
Their attack includes left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who is playing his 100th Test and is five away from the landmark of 400 Test wickets.
A.Graziadei--PV
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