Josh Hazlewood's bowling spell guides Australia to convincing victory over West Indies in the 1st Test

By Ovaise Shariff | First Published Jan 19, 2024, 11:13 AM IST

Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood's precision with the ball led to a resounding 10-wicket triumph over the West Indies at the Adelaide Oval.

Josh Hazlewood led Australia to a comprehensive 10-wicket victory over the West Indies at the Adelaide Oval. Hazlewood's seam bowling was nothing short of precision, concluding with figures of 5-35 in the second innings, initially boasting an impressive 4-2. With a 95-run lead from the first innings, Australia efficiently dismissed the West Indies for 120 on Friday morning. The pursuit of a modest target of 26 took less than seven overs, although an unsettling moment occurred as Usman Khawaja retired hurt after a Shamar Joseph bouncer struck him on the jaw.

Corridor of uncertainty! Josh Hazlewood is the master of it! | | pic.twitter.com/F30DhhQTbK

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau)

Concerns arose in Australia when the West Indies announced a squad without several key players, including former captain Jason Holder. Only eight of the 15-man squad had Test experience, necessitating three debutants in the Adelaide Test. Despite the effective partnership between captain Kraigg Brathwaite and opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the inexperienced middle order struggled, with Kirk McKenzie being the primary resistance to the Australian attack.

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While there were positives for the West Indies, such as McKenzie's batting and Shamar Joseph's impressive all-around performance in only his sixth first-class game, their inexperience was evident. The West Indies collapsed to 19-4 in the second innings, and coach Andre Coley acknowledged the steep learning curve for his players, attributing the challenge to the consistency of the seasoned Australian bowlers.

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