Australia is in a commanding position at stumps on day two of the Adelaide pink-ball Test against the West Indies thanks to a career-best batting performance from Travis Head and a classy bowling spell from seamer Michael Neser.
The hosts declared the first innings to a close at 7-511, with Head plundering 175 in front of friends and family in the South Australian capital.
In response, the West Indies lost four wickets in quick succession during the evening session to leave themselves reeling at 4-102 at stumps, still trailing Australia by 409 runs.
Watch Australia v West Indies. Every test match live and ad-break in play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
NEW FOLLOW-ON PODCAST – Ultimate test series preview; summer of Smudge?
Listen below or subscribe in Apple Podcasts or Spotify
GREEN’S NERVY START
If Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed one ball later on Friday, it would have brought up exactly 300 overs in the series without Cameron Green reaching the crease.
To put that into context, Green waited for Australia to bat almost an entire three-match ODI series’ worth of overs.
Needless to say, that’s a long time to wait.
And if Friday’s batting display was anything to go by, it was probably a little too long.
Green looked nervy at the crease, struggling to find the middle of the bat with any regularity, or find the gaps in the field.
His nine runs took 42 balls to make. With the exception of Steve Smith, the remainder of Australia’s top seven averaged 92.4 in the first innings, and comfortably scored at above a run every two balls.
Those who saw Green bat in the nets on Wednesday wouldn’t have been surprised. He didn’t look in great touch there either, and was notably troubled by uncapped quick Lance Morris.
Many will also remember Green looking nervous with the bat at the start of the Ashes as question marks grew around his batting.
But we all know how that story ended.
Green employed a tactical tweak and made two scores of 74 later in the series, while he has two more scores in the seventies for the calendar year.
It had, however, been a long time since he had faced either the pink or red ball, while the dominance of Australia’s top order only made the wait drag on longer.
His innings saw him nick off first ball, but he was lucky the edge fell short of first slip, while he narrowly escaped a big appeal for caught behind just before the big break.
In the second session, a poorly-timed sweep shot saw a ball flick up off his glove and only just fall out of the reach of wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva.
Green was also involved in a running mix-up with Travis Head, resulting in the dismissal of the latter for 175.
It was Head’s fault as he wasn’t called through, however, it should be said that Green’s initial call of “no” was timid.
Green’s own dismissal was an ugly one, too. He got caught in two minds about leaving the ball and failed to pull his bat away in time which resulted in a chop-on.
It’s a good problem to have, but there’s no doubt that Australia’s brilliance with that bat has had a knock-on effect for Green down the order.
“He’s a bit of a nervous starter, Cameron Green,” former Test batter Mark Waugh said.
“In the first bit of his Test career, he was lunging forward and searching for the ball. Then he started to get a bit more confidence.
“Sometimes he just gets a bit stuck on the crease searching for the ball.”
It should be said that Alex Carey had to wait even longer to bat, but had no troubles in making a classy 41 not out.
Nonetheless, both history and logic dictates that a player of Green’s talent will also find his feet again once given more opportunities.
Speaking of Green’s struggles after waiting so long, West Indies legend Brian Lara said: “He’s a very good player, no doubt about it. He’s got a huge future.
“I don’t know if he’s a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder, but I think he does both quite well.
“I just think from experience there’s nothing great I can say to him, but with true experience you understand how to deal with situations like this.”
SON OF A LEGEND STARS AGAIN
The West Indies may find themselves in strife yet again, however, if there is one good news story to come out of this series for the visitors, it’s Tagenarine Chanderpaul.
In just his second Test match, the rookie opener once again proved to offer more resilience than the vast majority of his teammates – doing so against the pink ball no less.
Chanderpaul grinded his way to stumps on day two, seeing off 98 balls under lights in a gritty display.
One of his biggest admirers has been West Indies legend Brian Lara who, unsurprisingly, sees a lot of Chanderpaul’s father, Shivnarine, in him.
Lara said that despite this being his first Test series, there’s already plenty that the West Indies can learn from him.
“The first thing I was asking myself is, ‘Are the more senior batsmen going to go to him and say, ‘Hey, what are you doing that you’re immediately being successful?’” Lara told foxsports.com.au.
“If I was in that dressing room, I’d be trying to find out.
“I learnt a lot from his dad as well in terms of his resilience and his patience.
“I just think … he’s definitely Shiv Chanderpaul’s son, that’s for sure. He’s got that resilience, he’s got that fight. That willingness to bat on in any situation. And that is a great asset to have.
“I think some of the other batters can learn from Tagenerine. His resilience, his ability to be disciplined, especially with the ball outside off stump. Not pushing his bat too hard at it.
“I am very, very impressed. I look forward to seeing more of him.”
Get all the latest cricket news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!
MORE CRICKET NEWS
‘UNFOUNDED’: CA CEO responds to Warner’s manager’s bombshell claims
BAZBALL UNDER SIEGE: Pakistan debutant’s 72-year first sparks England collapse
‘THEY LOST CONTROL’: Players boss’ CA takedown over ‘significantly missed’ chance
‘MY JAW HIT THE FLOOR’: Clarke’s blunt warning as ‘explosion’ gets ‘out of control’
‘BOMBSHELL CA DIDN’T WANT’: Healy addresses Hobart ball tampering claims
‘THAT’S POOR’: WINDIES VICE-CAPTAIN’S BRAIN FADE
The West Indies needed their experienced batters to step up on Friday evening, but vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood wasn’t up for the task.
Blackwood, playing in his 50th Test match, was back in the sheds for 3 after playing a reckless shot when Nathan Lyon tempted him with a flighted delivery.
And he took the bait.
Blackwood’s eyes lit up, throwing his arms at the ball for an expansive cover drive, only managing to chip the pink Kookaburra directly back to Lyon, who claimed a regulation chance to his left.
It was an ugly and unnecessary dismissal. The West Indies were chasing a 511- run first-innings deficit, but Blackwood’s brain fade left the visitors reeling at 3/50.
“Well, well, well. Oh my god,” West Indies legend Brian Lara muttered on Fox Cricket.
“Unnecessary at this time. Just stay in and bat.”
Former New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith continued: “It’s not responsible batting. That’s poor.
“No. 4 has to be there and has to fight hard … it’s exposing players when there’s no need to.”
Needless to say, Blackwood should have been more cautious against a bowler of Lyon’s quality, particularly considering his shocking record against the Australian off-spinner.
The 31-year-old has fallen victim to Lyon’s spin seven times in Tests – no other bowler has dismissed him more than thrice.
West Indies opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, playing in just his second Test, has shown more patience and discipline than the side’s middle-order over the past fortnight.
Blackwood will have one final chance to contribute in the second innings, otherwise he will return home licking his wounds following a forgettable Test tour.
‘IT’D BE A CRIME’: INDIA NOT A CONCERN FOR HEAD
Travis Head needed runs this summer, and the South Australian has so far delivered in spades.
After falling agonisingly short of a Test century in the series opener at Perth Stadium, Head pummelled a career-best 175 against the West Indies in front of his home crowd on Friday.
The left-hander peeled off boundaries at a rapid rate in Adelaide, reaching his century in 125 deliveries, eventually leapfrogging Marnus Labuschagne and crossing the 150-run mark before his teammate.
Head was particularly damaging through the off-side. The West Indies seamers employed a bizarre strategy in the first innings, repeatedly chucking the Kookaburra wide of the stumps, and Head feasted on the sloppy bowling with glee.
Most of the 28-year-old’s runs came with cover drives and cut strokes through point.
Unfortunately, a calamitous run out brought Head’s demolition to an end after the dinner break on day two, crushing any hopes of a maiden Test double century.
“It’s a major asset,” West Indies legend Brian Lara told foxsports.com.au.
“You don’t just pick players on runs and stats, you want to actually have a story with your batting line-up.
“Australia has maybe the best top four in the world. And most of the time he’d be walking in with a decent score on the board. You don’t need a batsman coming in at No. 5 who is just going to labour to score runs, and just soak up balls.
“Obviously there might be times when Australia might be under pressure and he’ll need to play that role, but I think it’s perfect to have a batter who comes out there and takes control immediately. His strike rate is amazing.
“And any sniff of hope the West Indies had in this particular match, was stuffed straight out of them with his aggression.
“A player like that is a great asset to Australia and, as I said, you don’t just pick players on runs and stats. You look for certain players to fill spots to do certain things inside your team.”
Head averages 56.57 in Tests on home soil, with all five of his centuries taking place in Australia, but his away batting average of 23.76 remains cause for concern.
Some cricket pundits have pigeonholed Head as a home-track bully, arguing he should be removed from the Australian starting XI for next year’s Test tour of India to make way for an additional all-rounder.
How quickly they’ve forgotten that Usman Khawaja was once accused of the same thing.
Khawaja endured a horror run of form in the sub-continent early in his Test career, resulting in national selectors axing the Queenslander ahead of the 2017 Test tour of India despite a successful home summer.
But since the start of 2018, no Australian has mustered more Test runs in Asia than Khawaja, who scored an unforgettable century against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates four years ago.
Khawaja’s career is proof of why national selectors should throw their support behind Head, who could be a dangerous weapon against India next February.
“At the end of the day, the individual will have to know how to adapt to certain conditions,” Lara continued.
“It’s okay to be playing in Australia all your life, but you have to be able to adapt as quickly as possible. Wherever it is. And that is up to the individual.
“I don’t think the selectors will make that decision with a guy who is in such form. He’s going to travel with them to India. He’s definitely going to be there. I think it’d be a crime (if he didn’t go).
“He’s now a person that has to take that personal responsibility to make sure that he works on his game because the conditions are absolutely different.”
“Oh mama! That is a nice nut!” | 03:11
HEARTWARMING SCENE IN AUSSIE DOMINANCE
For so long, it felt like Michael Neser and Scott Boland couldn’t get a sniff at playing Test cricket.
They were outstanding Sheffield Shield bowlers, and would-be Test stars if they hailed from virtually any other country.
But a baggy green looked like it would forever remain elusive to the dup.
What a heartwarming sight it was then to see 33-year-old Boland, and 32-year-old Neser sharing the pink Kookaburra for Australia on Friday – and performing well, too.
Neser and Boland both broke through the selection wall last summer due to the unavailability of Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, who are both missing in Adelaide this year, too.
Neser didn’t make the most of his chance in Adelaide the first time, taking 2-61 across the two innings in a quiet display.
It took him just six overs to pick up two wickets on Friday night, and both were outstanding deliveries that just did enough outside off-stump.
Neser made the early breakthrough for Australia with a stunner outside off that nipped away and found the outside edge of Kraigg Brathwaite for 19.
His second wicket was Shamarh Brooks (8), who was gone in a near carbon copy of the West Indies’ first dismissal.
Meanwhile, Boland nearly took a wicket in a menacing first over and didn’t get the reward he deserved. Nonetheless, his 10 overs on Friday went for just 13 runs.
The reality is that this could be the only time the pair play together in Test cricket given their careers so heavily overlap with Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
Nonetheless, the pair look like they’re going to make sure it’s a Test to remember.
