Australian tour in West Indies: Bowlers steal the spotlight on Day 1

Shilpa Rajan July 11, 2025

Australian team is touring the West Indies for a three-match Test series. The first game has started at Barbados, and bowlers have made full use of the conditions. Australia opted to bat but had a poor day with the bat. They were bowled out in the third session. West Indies batters also struggled at the end of day’s play.

Australian tour: Windies bowlers take the first session

Australian team witnessed a new opening pair after the Test championship defeat against South Africa. Sam Konstas returned to the side and joined Usman Khawaja. Konstas was playing his first series away from home, but things didn’t start in favour of the 19-year-old. His stay was cut short after 14 balls. Shamar Joseph got the batter out on three.

Cameron Green has been promoted to the No. 3 spot. He was unable to perform against the Proteas, and his bad form continued in this match. Shamar Joseph got his second wicket of the night. Australia were 14 for two and in a spot of bother. Josh Inglis was introduced in Steve Smith’s role. His stay was cut short by Jayden Seales. The wicket-keeper batsman nicked the ball to Shai Hope. The visitors were three down for 22.

Travis Head joined Khawaja in the middle. These two steadied the innings. Head came in with a bit more aggressive approach than the other batters. This duo added a few more runs in the first session that stood for 25 overs. Australia were 65 for three at the end of the first session of play.

Shamar Joseph & Seales trouble Aussies ahead of tea break

Shamar Joseph made his name by winning a test match for his nation in Australia. Since then, he has struggled to replicate that form. However, it seems like the 25-year-old loves to play against the team from down under. He continued his first session form in the second session. The fast bowlers provided more breakthroughs to put his time in the driving seat.

Head and Khawaja added 89 runs for the fourth wicket. Joseph got Khawaja caught behind on 47. The 38-year-old fell three short of his 28^th half-century. Beau Webster is a new, upcoming name in the Baggy Green. He joined Head for the fifth wicket, but their stand broke after adding 12 runs. Joseph bowled an absolute peach to take out the batter on 11.

Alex Carey has proven to be a wall at the back of Australia’s innings. However, his stay was also cut short by eight. Seales got his second of the night, and Australia were 138 for six at the end of the second session.

Seales takes five as bowlers dominate on Day 1

Australia’s innings ended on 180 runs. Jayden Seales took three out of the last four wickets to complete his third fifer in red ball cricket. Head reached his fifty , but Justin Greaves got the danger man out on 59.

Now, it was time for the Aussie bowlers to shine. They made full use of the conditions. Veteran Mitchell Starc got both opening batters. Keacy Carty and Brandon King tried to steady the innings, but Cummins got the in-form Carty out on 20. Josh Hazelwood got the wicket of nightwatchman Warrican. West Indies ended day 1 on 57 for the loss of four wickets.