Traditionally, most captains call Heads when it’s their turn. Cummins is no exception, and once again the coin turned up trumps for him. And so Australia decided to bat. It makes sense. When batting gets really hard under lights, you hope that your batsmen are well in and seeing it like a football. Yet even under bright sunlight the pink ball swung alarmingly for Seales and Shamarr. Konstas and Khawaja left most deliveries alone. Indeed bat on ball was a rarity: either the ball swung so far that no stroke was necessary; or else the bat was well beaten. Konstas had an early life when Seales induced his outside edge. The ball was heading straight for second slip, whose hands were cocked ready to receive it. In an excess of enthusiasm the debutant Kevlon Anderson (third slip) dived across in front and spilled the catch. Seales’ thunderstruck expression said everything. Oh no. Not again.
After 22 deliveries looking more at sea than a tea-clipper under full sail, Konstas was greeted by Alzarri with a shortish ball on his body. He whacked it gratefully behind square to the boundary and relaxed a trifle. By playing with a vertical bat he held the fort until Greaves’ first delivery trapped him in front. By leaning across towards off-stump this had become an inherent risk. But his 17 was at least a better effort than his previous attempts. Green came, whacked a boundary immdiately, survived a leg-before on review, and made it safely to the break thereafter. At 1/50 Australia would have felt comfortable enough.
Khawaja’s idiosyncratic technique can be confounded by uneven bounce. While this surface has plenty for the bowlers, the ball comes through at a predictable height. He knows his game thoroughly, and negotiated his way through the session without undue drama. It took a late away-swinger from Shamarr, and an excellent low catch from Hope, to dismiss him. His 23 had occupied 92 deliveries, and one might say he’d accomplished his mission. Smith emerged and set about the attack at once. To Greaves he parked both pads in front of his stumps and dared the bowler to pitch straight. Greaves was bullied out of the attack with a flurry of boundaries. Green meanwhile had been watchful, yet he pounced on anything overpitched. The pair brought up their fifty partnership before Seales bowled Green (46 off 108) with a brutal off-cutter.
With the terrors of the twilight session approaching Head joined Smith. At the dinner break Australia was 3/138 with much to ponder. They have omitted Lyon for Scott Boland, yet the home side had brought in Warrican. On day one the ball is already turning appreciably for him, and for Chase. Thereafter, the Australian plan was made manifest. We picked five seamers because we intend to bowl tonight. In 18 overs they lost 7/87. Batting was far from easy. Smith was pouched at slip by King for an excellent 48. Head – the batsman of the series so far – struggled horribly, missing more often than he hit. Carey and Cummins made blitzkrieg twenties in T20 mode. Despite the absence of Alzarri through injury, Shamarr, Greaves and Seales shared all ten wickets between them, bowling with fire and menace. Was 225 all out a decent score under the circumstances? Who even knew?
West Indies’ baptism under lights was if anything an anticlimax. Only nine overs were possible, for the wicket of the misfortunate debutant Kevlon Anderson, bowled by Starc’s inswinger through the gate. If he needs any comfort, many others have fallen before him in like manner. And the guitar-wielding statue in the outer? We imagined him playing and singing One Love. After the distasteful scenes at Lords last night, it is a fine thing indeed to see cricket played in a proper spirit. Players and fans alike showing mutual respect and even affection. Yes, we play the game hard and ruthless. But there is no call for tantrums. None has been sighted today. And hurrah for that.