Pressure mounts on Australia openers as lean run continues in third West Indies Test
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
19 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘Selfless' Garry Ringrose praised after concussion withdrawal
Garry Ringrose has been praised for self-reporting the concussion symptoms that have cost him the chance of playing his first Test for the British and Irish Lions. Ringrose pulled out of a Lions team that shows three changes from the opening 27-19 victory over Australia, with Andrew Porter, Ollie Chessum and Bundee Aki given starts. On the bench Owen Farrell is poised to make his first international appearance since helping England finish third at the 2023 World Cup and he is joined by Jac Morgan, the only Welshman in the touring party. The starting XV is made up of nine players from Ireland – seven of whom represent Leinster – four Englishmen and two from Scotland. The Ireland and Leinster contingent would have increased by one had Ringrose not told head coach Andy Farrell shortly before he was due to officially announce the team that his concussion symptoms had returned. An injury that initially surfaced after July 9's win over the ACT Brumbies forced him to sit out the first Test but having made a successful comeback against the First Nations and Pasifika XV on Tuesday, he was poised to replace Huw Jones at outside centre. Instead, he will be watching from the stands with Jones continuing in midfield for the Lions' shot at completing a series victory at Melbourne Cricket Ground. 'Garry was actually selected and unfortunately after training he's had to pull out,' Andy Farrell said. 'It's head-related again. It was literally as I was walking off the field. He came to me and once that's mentioned, that's that. 'With these type of things players are getting very good at telling the truth of how they feel, so it was a no-brainer to make the change straight away. 'It's very easy to keep it to yourself and lie and not be honest and open. It was very big of him and the right thing to do, 100 per cent. For the team as well, not just for Garry.' Lions captain Maro Itoje echoed the view of his head coach. 'I'm gutted for him that he's in this position but it also shows the measure of the man to be so selfless,' Itoje said. 'All we ask of all of us is to be selfless and put the team first. When push comes to shove, you see who really does it. Garry is a man who really did it.' Had Ringrose been fit, he would have formed an all-Ireland partnership with Aki at the expense of Sione Tuipulotu and Jones, the Scotland combination who impressed in the series opener at Suncorp Stadium. Tuipulotu is struggling with a tight hamstring but the indications are that he would have been dropped even without the injury. Joe McCarthy has failed to recover from his foot problem so Chessum slots into the second row, while loosehead prop Porter is preferred ahead of Ellis Genge in the front row. James Lowe is lucky to retain his place on the left wing after a poor display in the first Test, but with Blair Kinghorn present on the bench after overcoming a knee problem Andy Farrell has a high-quality alternative ready.
The Guardian
20 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘The right thing to do - 100%': Farrell praises Ringrose over late Lions concussion call
Garry Ringrose has been lauded for self-reporting concussion symptoms that forced the British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell into a last-minute reshuffle for Saturday's Test against the Wallabies. Ringrose was slated to start the second Test at the MCG along with nine other Ireland players but approached Farrell after Thursday's training session, moments before he was due to announce his team. As a result, Huw Jones earns a reprieve at outside-centre, partnering Bundee Aki in midfield with Sione Tuipulotu - who has reported a tight hamstring - dropped. Ringrose missed the first Test after suffering a concussion two weeks ago in the victory over the Brumbies. He made his comeback in Tuesday's 24-19 win over the First Nations & Pasifika XV, coming on after 16 minutes to replace the injured Darcy Graham and proving his fitness to Farrell. Ringrose's 11th-hour withdrawal could end up costing him a Lions cap against Australia given he must be considered a doubt for the third Test in Sydney, but Farrell was full of praise for the 30-year-old's honesty which has denied him a Lions Test debut in Melbourne., 'It's head-related again,' said Farrell. 'It was literally as I was walking off the field, he came to me, and once it's mentioned, that's that. There was no incident. He was feeling good, well in advance of Tuesday, and fit and ready to play. 'No incident through the game at all, nothing yesterday and nothing this morning at all, but with these types of things, players are getting very good at telling the truth of how they feel, so it was a no-brainer to make the change straight away. 'It is actually [an unbelievably unselfish act]. I thought exactly [that] the minute that he mentioned it because it's tough to do that. It's very easy to keep it to yourself and lie and not be honest and open. It was very big of him and the right thing to do, 100%. For the team as well, not just for Garry.' Farrell has made three changes, with Ollie Chessum replacing Joe McCarthy at second row and Andrew Porter coming in for Ellis Genge at loosehead prop. Owen Farrell comes on to the bench and is in line for a seventh Lions cap on his fourth tour. It would have been four changes to the starting XV had Ringrose not withdrawn and the captain, Maro Itoje, was equally taken aback by the Ireland centre's selflessness. 'Firstly, absolutely gutted for Garry,' added Itoje. 'To play with him and get to know him over the last couple of months has been a real privilege and honour. I'm gutted for him that he's in this position. But, also, it shows the measure of the man to be so selfless. All we ask of all of us is to be selfless and put the team first. When push comes to shove, you see who really does it. Garry is a man who really did it.' Chessum, who forms an all-England second-row partnership with Itoje, added: 'For him to be selfless like that - he has to think of himself but also for the team. You know how much everyone in this camp wants to be involved with this game at the weekend and it would have taken absolutely everything from him to pull himself out. That's just testament to Garry's character and the type of person that he is.'
Reuters
25 minutes ago
- Reuters
Ringrose concussion forces late change to Lions for second test
MELBOURNE, July 24 (Reuters) - British & Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell praised Garry Ringrose for selflessly withdrawing himself from the second test against Australia after the Ireland centre's concussion symptoms returned on Thursday. Ringrose was set to form an all-Ireland midfield with Bundee Aki at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday but pulled out after training, ensuring Scotland centre Huw Jones retained the number 13 jersey. Ringrose also missed last week's 27-19 win over Australia in the first test in Brisbane because of concussion. "It's head-related again," Farrell told reporters in Melbourne. "There was no incident. He was feeling good (before). It was very big of him and the right thing to do, 100 per cent. For the team as well, not just for Garry." Aki is one of three changes to the starting team at Lang Park, replacing Melbourne-born Sione Tuipulotu who was nursing a tight hamstring. Irish lock Joe McCarthy injured his foot in Brisbane last week and is replaced by England's Ollie Chessum in the second row, while Andrew Porter comes in for Ellis Genge at loosehead prop. Farrell brought his son Owen in on the bench as the tourists look to become the first Lions team to sew up a test series with a game to spare since 1997 in South Africa. The playmaker, who was called up as an injury replacement early in the tour, gets a chance to play his seventh Lions test after leading the midweek team to a 24-19 win over the First Nations-Pasifika XV on Tuesday. Flanker Jac Morgan is another change to the bench, ensuring a Welsh presence in the side after the principality was without representation in a test team for the first time since the late 19th century in Brisbane. Scottish fullback Blair Kinghorn was also named among the replacements after missing the first test because of a knee injury. Farrell said he wanted his squad to make history 12 years after the Warren Gatland-coached team beat the Wallabies 2-1. "We're the privileged ones that get the opportunity to do something special and hopefully create a bit of history," he said "There's a determined Australian side that's going to try and stop us doing that, so it's a hell of a test." The third and final test takes place at Sydney's Stadium Australia on Aug. 2. Team: 15–Hugo Keenan, 14–Tommy Freeman, 13–Huw Jones, 12–Bundee Aki, 11–James Lowe, 10–Finn Russell, 9–Jamison Gibson-Park, 8–Jack Conan, 7–Tom Curry, 6–Tadhg Beirne, 5–Ollie Chessum, 4–Maro Itoje, 3–Tadhg Furlong, 2–Dan Sheehan, 1–Andrew Porter Replacements: 16–Ronan Kelleher, 17–Ellis Genge, 18–Will Stuart, 19–James Ryan, 20–Jac Morgan, 21–Alex Mitchell, 22–Owen Farrell, 23–Blair Kinghorn
