logo
Pressure mounts on Australia openers as lean run continues in third West Indies Test

Pressure mounts on Australia openers as lean run continues in third West Indies Test

The Guardian12-07-2025
The questions around Australia's openers are set to linger ahead of the Ashes, after Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja's difficulties against West Indies continued.
After winning the toss and batting in the third and final Test in Jamaica, Australia went to dinner on the first evening at 138 for three with Konstas out for 17 and Khawaja 23.
Cameron Green was also bowled for 46 before the second break, with Steve Smith 36 not out and Travis Head unbeaten on three on a day where selectors made the shock call to leave out Nathan Lyon.
Still, all eyes remain on Australia's top order, with Khawaja's 47 in the first Test in Barbados the only score from either opener above 25 in this Frank Worrell Trophy series.
The 38-year-old Khawaja fought through a torrid opening session on Saturday (Sunday AEST), as the pink Dukes ball was moving and regularly beat the bat.
But the left-hander was superbly caught behind by Shai Hope on 23, edging a ball that was angled back in at him from around the wicket by Shamar Joseph.
Konstas had also shown signs of digging in, before being lbw for 17 after moving to an off-stump guard for this Test.
He at one stage faced 18 straight dot balls early, while surviving a run-out scare and edge to third slip on consecutive deliveries while on one.
Konstas threatened to find some rhythm when he hooked Alzarri Joseph's first ball for four and later punched the quick to the point boundary off the back foot.
But the 19-year-old fell lbw to Justin Greaves' first ball and his series average sits at just 10.
Khawaja's is 20.6, with one innings remaining in Australia's last Test before this summer's home Ashes.
Australia have battled with the opening spot since David Warner's retirement, after Smith's aborted move up the order last year and Nathan McSweeney's three Tests last summer.
Marnus Labuschagne also opened in the World Test Championship final loss to South Africa, for scores of 17 and 22 before being dropped.
The other chief talking point of Saturday was the omission of Lyon, with Scott Boland coming in for the day-night Test.
Sign up to The Spin
Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action
after newsletter promotion
Lyon has played every Test he has been fit for since the second Test of the 2013 Ashes, racking up 100 consecutive matches after that.
The spinner then suffered a calf tear at Lord's in 2023 and missed the final three Tests of that Ashes, before returning to the side for the start of the next summer.
While the day-night Tests are generally thought to suit the quicks under lights, Lyon has a better record with pink balls than red.
This Test is being played with a Dukes ball rather than a Kookaburra, with the Windies' two tweakers finding some turn.
Lyon has had strong returns of nine wickets at 18.33 in a series dominated by quicks, but bowled only 32.3 overs across two Tests.
West Indies also made a big call, dropping out-of-form ex-captain Kraigg Brathwaite, ending his run of 90 straight Tests.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances
I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances

North Wales Chronicle

time4 hours ago

  • North Wales Chronicle

I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances

Crawley has long divided opinion as he possesses an underwhelming average of 31.4 from 58 Tests, with several dramatic fallow periods, but he has been backed to the hilt by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. The patience has occasionally been rewarded and was on day two of the fourth Rothesay Test against India, where Crawley and Ben Duckett put on a buccaneering 166 in 32 overs at Emirates Old Trafford. After helping England close on 225 for two in response to India's 358 all out, Crawley, who was dismissed for 84 at a ground where he made 189 in the 2023 Ashes, said: 'I have high standards for myself and I work very hard on my game. 'I always want more from myself and I've certainly wanted more for myself than I've got in the last year or so. That's just an internal thing, I don't feel that pressure from anyone else. 'I just feel like I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances. Days like this make the practice and the tougher times worth it a bit more. 'I certainly feel at my best when my body is relaxed. I managed to do that quite well here. 'I wanted more runs but I feel like I worked hard and earned those runs. I don't think I've ever got out in my life and not been annoyed and I was certainly annoyed (after getting out).' Crawley and Duckett, who was also unable to get to a hundred after nicking off on 94, put England in the box seat just over a week on from being front and centre of a time-wasting row at Lord's. A brilliant day for England! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 We trail by just 1️⃣3️⃣3️⃣ runs with 8️⃣ wickets in hand. Roll on tomorrow 💪 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 24, 2025 India captain Shubman Gill accused England of contravening the 'spirit of the game', insisting England's openers arrived to the crease 90 seconds late in a testy seven-minute passage at the end of day three that hung over the rest of the third Test. But Crawley said: 'I sit in my spot until the umpires go out, I saw them go out and I walked out. I wasn't aware we were 90 seconds late. I didn't think too much about that at the time or even now. 'I've always enjoyed that part of cricket, especially when you're batting where it's two against 11 and they're desperate to get you out and chirping you. 'Most of the time I probably let it slide but most of the time, I feel like it's a good chance to put it back on them. At Lord's, I loved that little passage. No one stepped over the line, it was just competitive cricket, I really enjoyed it.' Ben Stokes claimed his first Test five-wicket haul since September 2017 to restrict India, who were remarkably able to call upon Rishabh Pant despite him suffering a serious injury to his right foot. Less than 24 hours after retiring hurt on 37 and being taken off the field on a golf buggy, Pant resumed his innings although substitute fielder Dhruv Jurel is taking on wicketkeeper duties for the rest of the Test. Amid a suspected broken metatarsal – India have not publicly confirmed the severity of his injury – Pant limped every time he moved forward before being bowled for 54 by Jofra Archer, who claimed three for 73. India all-rounder Shardul Thakur said: 'We have seen him doing a lot of amazing things. And this was just another amazing thing that he did for the team. 'His pain bearing capacity is very high. If he is in pain, it is a big injury.'

I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances
I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances

South Wales Guardian

time4 hours ago

  • South Wales Guardian

I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances

Crawley has long divided opinion as he possesses an underwhelming average of 31.4 from 58 Tests, with several dramatic fallow periods, but he has been backed to the hilt by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. The patience has occasionally been rewarded and was on day two of the fourth Rothesay Test against India, where Crawley and Ben Duckett put on a buccaneering 166 in 32 overs at Emirates Old Trafford. After helping England close on 225 for two in response to India's 358 all out, Crawley, who was dismissed for 84 at a ground where he made 189 in the 2023 Ashes, said: 'I have high standards for myself and I work very hard on my game. 'I always want more from myself and I've certainly wanted more for myself than I've got in the last year or so. That's just an internal thing, I don't feel that pressure from anyone else. 'I just feel like I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances. Days like this make the practice and the tougher times worth it a bit more. 'I certainly feel at my best when my body is relaxed. I managed to do that quite well here. 'I wanted more runs but I feel like I worked hard and earned those runs. I don't think I've ever got out in my life and not been annoyed and I was certainly annoyed (after getting out).' Crawley and Duckett, who was also unable to get to a hundred after nicking off on 94, put England in the box seat just over a week on from being front and centre of a time-wasting row at Lord's. A brilliant day for England! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 We trail by just 1️⃣3️⃣3️⃣ runs with 8️⃣ wickets in hand. Roll on tomorrow 💪 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 24, 2025 India captain Shubman Gill accused England of contravening the 'spirit of the game', insisting England's openers arrived to the crease 90 seconds late in a testy seven-minute passage at the end of day three that hung over the rest of the third Test. But Crawley said: 'I sit in my spot until the umpires go out, I saw them go out and I walked out. I wasn't aware we were 90 seconds late. I didn't think too much about that at the time or even now. 'I've always enjoyed that part of cricket, especially when you're batting where it's two against 11 and they're desperate to get you out and chirping you. 'Most of the time I probably let it slide but most of the time, I feel like it's a good chance to put it back on them. At Lord's, I loved that little passage. No one stepped over the line, it was just competitive cricket, I really enjoyed it.' Ben Stokes claimed his first Test five-wicket haul since September 2017 to restrict India, who were remarkably able to call upon Rishabh Pant despite him suffering a serious injury to his right foot. Less than 24 hours after retiring hurt on 37 and being taken off the field on a golf buggy, Pant resumed his innings although substitute fielder Dhruv Jurel is taking on wicketkeeper duties for the rest of the Test. Amid a suspected broken metatarsal – India have not publicly confirmed the severity of his injury – Pant limped every time he moved forward before being bowled for 54 by Jofra Archer, who claimed three for 73. India all-rounder Shardul Thakur said: 'We have seen him doing a lot of amazing things. And this was just another amazing thing that he did for the team. 'His pain bearing capacity is very high. If he is in pain, it is a big injury.'

I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances
I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances

Rhyl Journal

time5 hours ago

  • Rhyl Journal

I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances

Crawley has long divided opinion as he possesses an underwhelming average of 31.4 from 58 Tests, with several dramatic fallow periods, but he has been backed to the hilt by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. The patience has occasionally been rewarded and was on day two of the fourth Rothesay Test against India, where Crawley and Ben Duckett put on a buccaneering 166 in 32 overs at Emirates Old Trafford. After helping England close on 225 for two in response to India's 358 all out, Crawley, who was dismissed for 84 at a ground where he made 189 in the 2023 Ashes, said: 'I have high standards for myself and I work very hard on my game. 'I always want more from myself and I've certainly wanted more for myself than I've got in the last year or so. That's just an internal thing, I don't feel that pressure from anyone else. 'I just feel like I owe it to myself to have a few more good performances. Days like this make the practice and the tougher times worth it a bit more. 'I certainly feel at my best when my body is relaxed. I managed to do that quite well here. 'I wanted more runs but I feel like I worked hard and earned those runs. I don't think I've ever got out in my life and not been annoyed and I was certainly annoyed (after getting out).' Crawley and Duckett, who was also unable to get to a hundred after nicking off on 94, put England in the box seat just over a week on from being front and centre of a time-wasting row at Lord's. A brilliant day for England! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 We trail by just 1️⃣3️⃣3️⃣ runs with 8️⃣ wickets in hand. Roll on tomorrow 💪 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 24, 2025 India captain Shubman Gill accused England of contravening the 'spirit of the game', insisting England's openers arrived to the crease 90 seconds late in a testy seven-minute passage at the end of day three that hung over the rest of the third Test. But Crawley said: 'I sit in my spot until the umpires go out, I saw them go out and I walked out. I wasn't aware we were 90 seconds late. I didn't think too much about that at the time or even now. 'I've always enjoyed that part of cricket, especially when you're batting where it's two against 11 and they're desperate to get you out and chirping you. 'Most of the time I probably let it slide but most of the time, I feel like it's a good chance to put it back on them. At Lord's, I loved that little passage. No one stepped over the line, it was just competitive cricket, I really enjoyed it.' Ben Stokes claimed his first Test five-wicket haul since September 2017 to restrict India, who were remarkably able to call upon Rishabh Pant despite him suffering a serious injury to his right foot. Less than 24 hours after retiring hurt on 37 and being taken off the field on a golf buggy, Pant resumed his innings although substitute fielder Dhruv Jurel is taking on wicketkeeper duties for the rest of the Test. Amid a suspected broken metatarsal – India have not publicly confirmed the severity of his injury – Pant limped every time he moved forward before being bowled for 54 by Jofra Archer, who claimed three for 73. India all-rounder Shardul Thakur said: 'We have seen him doing a lot of amazing things. And this was just another amazing thing that he did for the team. 'His pain bearing capacity is very high. If he is in pain, it is a big injury.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store