Shamar Joseph's induction into Test cricket, the game's highest class, was completed with his first delivery. The young pacer had Steve Smith caught at third slip by fellow debutant Justin Greaves. Smith, a living legend of the game, lasted only 25 balls in his first essay of the new role, and that's probably the biggest story from Day 1 of the first Australia vs West Indies Test, being played at the Adelaide Oval. (AUS Vs WI 1st Test Scorecard | More Cricket News)
The 24-year-old is still a relatively unknown figure in cricket. The Guyanese arrived in Australia with only five First-Class cricket matches on his resume, having joined the Guyana 'domestic' set-up only last year, with a debut against Barbados. In those five red-ball matches, he had 21 claimed wickets, prompting the Windies selectors to fast-track him into the confederation's team.
Cricket, however, was one of his many pastimes, and also an easy excuse, reportedly, to avoid household chores. But in life, excuses can last only so long. With a family of his own, Shamar Joseph worked as a bodyguard while still turning up for Guyana in the West Indies Championship and the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League.
Then, on one fine sunny January day under Adelaide sky, the Baracara-born announced his arrival in international cricket. But first with the bat.
Asked to set a total first by Pat Cummins, a fragile-looking Windies batting lineup started to creak as early as the 10th over. Tagenarine Chanderpaul became the first of the four wickets for the Aussie skipper, and with Josh Hazlewood also operating in full steam, the Windies batters could barely withstand the pressure.
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If not for two-Test-old Kirk McKenzie, who absorbed 94 deliveries for his second fifty, the Windies innings would have folded much earlier. And helping the Jamaican thwart a bowling attack that had helped the Aussies win world championships in all three formats of the game, was Joseph, the last man. 41 balls and 36 runs, with three fours and one six. Together, they added 55 runs in 83 balls. The tail wagged!
Following a quick changeover, Shamar Joseph returned, making the ball talk.
Kraigg Brathwaite introduced Joseph into the attack in the ninth over, and the first ball found the outside edge of Steve Smith's bat. In the 15th over, the pacer had Marnus Labuschagne caught at fine-leg by Gudakesh Motie.
Joseph retired for the day with figures of 2/18 in six overs and a first-innings score of 36.
Australia were 59/2 in 21 overs, still trailing the Windies by 129 runs.
