Josh Hazlewood’s Bowling Masterclass and Travis Head’s Spectacular Century Propel Australia to Dominance in 1st Test Against West Indies

In a gripping display of cricket, Josh Hazlewood’s impeccable bowling and Travis Head’s aggressive century placed Australia firmly in control of the first Test against the West Indies in Adelaide. Head’s dazzling innings of 119 from 134 balls led Australia to a commanding total of 283, establishing a first-innings lead of 95.

Hazlewood’s brilliance continued as he dismantled the West Indies top order in their second innings, claiming four wickets for a mere two runs. The visitors struggled to recover, ending the second day at 73-6, still 22 runs away from forcing Australia to bat again.

West Indies’ woes began early, with Hazlewood dismissing Tagenarine Chanderpaul for a duck and then removing captain Kraigg Brathwaite in the same over. Alick Athanaze and Kavem Hodge fell quickly, leaving the West Indies reeling at 19-4.

Despite a brief attempt at recovery by Kirk McKenzie and Justin Greaves, the West Indies found themselves in further trouble when McKenzie’s aggressive drive ended in a catch by Marnus Labuschagne at short cover. Greaves and Joshua Da Silva steadied the ship momentarily, but Nathan Lyon’s off-spin claimed Greaves’ wicket, disrupting their hopes of reaching stumps unscathed.

While the West Indies struggled, Travis Head showcased his exceptional batting skills, reaching his seventh Test century with a glorious cover drive. Although he eventually fell after a brisk century, caught brilliantly by Kavem Hodge off Alzarri Joseph’s bowling, Head had already inflicted significant damage, firmly establishing Australia’s control over the match.

Despite the debut heroics of Shamar Joseph, who took five wickets for 94 runs in his first Test, the West Indies faced an uphill battle against a determined Australian side. The Australians, despite a shuffled batting order and the loss of key players like David Warner, asserted their dominance in the absence of three debutant West Indies players.

While the West Indies managed to take regular wickets, their inability to control the run rate allowed Australia to build a substantial lead, turning what could have been a manageable situation into a daunting one for the visitors.