West Indies pacemen reduce Australia to 99-6 in third test, an overall lead of 181

By Canadian Press on July 13, 2025.

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Shamar Joseph and Alzarri Joseph bowled with pace and vintage West Indies intent in the night session Sunday as Australia struggled to 99 for six in its second innings, an overall lead of 181 in the third cricket test.

The pace bowlers dominated on Day 2 at Sabina Park, when 15 wickets fell across both teams.

Cameron Green was unbeaten on 42 and Australian skipper Pat Cummins was five not out at stumps after a torrid 40-minute stand that netted 30 runs.

Australia had a 2-0 lead going into the last test of the series after wins in Barbados and Grenada, and took an 82-run first-innings lead after bowling West Indies out for 143 by the dinner break on Sunday.

But that meant having to bat under lights again in a day-night match that seems destined to finish inside three days.

The Australians took nine wickets in two sessions after West Indies resumed at 16-1 on Sunday and lost their last seven wickets for 70 runs, chasing Australia’s first innings of 225.

John Campbell led the West Indies’ scoring with 36 and Shai Hope (23) was the only other Caribbean batter to reach the 20s as Australia’s five-pronged pace attack kept the home team under constant pressure.

Scott Boland, selected at the expense of veteran spinner Nathan Lyon, removed both Campbell and Hope, completed a run-out of allrounder Justin Greaves and took the final wicket to finish with figures of 3-34.

Cummins and Josh Hazlewood took two wickets apiece and Mitchell Starc, playing his 100th test match, returned 1-32 from 13 overs.

The Australians lost quick wickets in the night conditions on Day 1 and it started badly for the tourists again in the second innings when 19-year-old opener Sam Konstas fell to Shamar Joseph (2-26) for the third time in the series, getting a thick outside edge to gully and departing for a duck in the second over. He has scored just 50 runs in six innings in the series.

Usman Khawaja (14) pulled Shamar Joseph for a boundary to take Australia’s lead past 100 but dragged onto his stumps two balls later when the West Indies paceman angled a ball back in from around the wicket.

Steve Smith (5) edged Alzarri Joseph’s third ball of the day between second and third slip for a boundary and then was rattled by a short, sharp bouncer in the same over.

Alzarri Joseph (3-19) was bowling at speeds up to 147 kph (91 mph), mixing bouncers with a good length and it was a slightly fuller ball that took out Smith’s off stump as Australia slipped to 28-3.

Green continued with Travis Head (16), Beau Webster (13) and Alex Carey (0) until Australia slumped to 69-6 with the tailenders exposed.

Carey, who was hit on the helmet on the first delivery he faced, tried to advance down the pitch against Alzarri Joseph two balls later and only succeeded in edging to first slip.

Cummins hadn’t scored before he brushed a ball behind off the gloves but was given not out. TV replays showed he would have been given out if the West Indies had reviewed the on-field decision.

Cummins narrowly avoided a run-out when he was sent back by Greene to the non-striker’s end with the total on 80-6, but he survived to get his team to stumps.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

The Associated Press