• Seales strikes leave second Test on a knife edge

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    Jayden Seales struck twice late on day two to leave the second Test between the West Indies and Australia finely balanced in Grenada on Friday.

    After taking a 33-run lead on first innings, Australia limped to 12-2 in their second dig, with Seales removing both openers – Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja – in successive overs. The tourists will resume on day three 45 runs ahead with eight wickets in hand.

    Seales, continuing his return to full fitness after a run of injuries since his 2021 debut, exposed familiar frailties in Australia’s top order. Konstas chopped on, while Khawaja was pinned leg-before for the third consecutive innings.

    Cameron Green, under pressure at No 3 after a quiet series, saw out the day alongside nightwatchman Nathan Lyon.

    Lyon was Australia’s most successful bowler in the West Indies’ first innings of 253, taking 3-75, including the key wicket of top-scorer Brandon King. The debutant had a difficult time in Barbados but bounced back with a fluent 75 off 108 balls, striking three sixes and eight fours.

    “I enjoyed his intent to score while also showing a good solid defence when necessary,” said West Indies batting consultant Floyd Reifer. “It was good to see him trying to put pressure back on the bowlers whenever he could.”

    While the West Indies would have hoped for a first-innings lead, Reifer backed the bowlers to build on their strong start to the second innings.

    “The wicket is deteriorating a bit so if we can bowl them out cheaply and chase something in the region of 220, then we have a chance,” he said.

    King shared crucial stands with captain Roston Chase and wicketkeeper Shai Hope, adding 105 after the Windies slumped to 64-3 in the morning session.

    One of the early casualties was Kraigg Brathwaite, who fell for a duck in his 100th Test. The former captain mistimed a drive in the second over, offering Josh Hazlewood a low return catch to continue a lean run of form in the series.

    Two more wickets fell before lunch, but King, Chase and Hope led a fightback that was continued by the lower order. Alzarri and Shamar Joseph added 51 for the eighth wicket, while Anderson Phillip and Seales frustrated Australia for more than 40 minutes before Travis Head’s part-time off spin wrapped up the innings.

    © Agence France-Presse

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    Simon Borchardt