Mixed opening day for Aus, WI by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	Australia v West Indies
Player:	DJ Bravo, SM Katich, MEK Hussey
Event:	West Indies in Australia 2009/10

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DateLine: 26th November 2009

 

It was a mixed day for both Australia and West Indies at the Gabba as the hosts finished Day One of the first Test at 322 for the loss of five wickets. Although most of the Australian batsmen sans opener Shane Watson did get their eye in but none converted into a huge century and all the times just when it seemed Australia were on the way to run away with the game, some Caribbean bowler stepped in to pick up the wicket and provide the breakthrough.

 

Earlier in the morning Australia won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch which had something for the pacers at the start of the day. All West Indian seamers, Dwayne Bravo, Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor did cause a little trouble for all batsmen but most of the time were well negotiated. Taylor tasted success early as Shane Watson misjudges a ball that cut back in. Watson left it go its away but it crashed into his pads just outside the line. Asad Rauf believed the ball will hit the timber and raised his finger.

 

Simon Katich then made sure the early loss didn't linger on the minds for long as he and skipper Ricky Ponting did well to stitch a 126 run-stand. The duo played with utmost ease and while the pitch had something on offer especially in terms of bounce for the bowlers, Katich looked hardly disturbed and easily switched between attack and defence. The left-hander was cautious to start off but took off with a hook and a handful of firm cuts. Then he went behind Ravi Rampaul, driving the right-arm pacer through cover for four and pulling him for six in consecutive balls.Ponting also started on a cautious note and was disturbed on a few occasions but deliveries jabbing back into him.

 

Once set though it hardly took him any effort to reach his halfcentury which he brought up with a six over fine-leg in the over before lunch. After the break though Ponting agian looked vulnerable for a while and then a Kemar Roach beauty forced Ponting to edge one behind for 55, leaving the hosts at 2 for 126. Katich was also lucky on one occasion when on 81 Sulieman Benn dropped him. Bravo was the unlucky bowler but the reprieve did not turn out to be a huge one as Katich then leg-glanced one to Denesh Ramdin of the same bowler just before tea and this time luck changed sides.

 

Hussey who had walked in after Ponting's dismissal was well into the game by the time Katich left. He was troubled by the seamers early on but Chris Gayle's first over brought best out of him. The left-hander first cut one beautifully into the gap and then a cover drive came two balls later.

 

Mike Hussey brought up his half century shortly into the last session of the day and then stitched together 53 runs for the fourth wicket with comeback man Michael Clarke. Suliemann Benn then threw one flat to which Hussey drove in the air only to lap a easy chance to the bowler.

 

Then there was the period of lull as both Clarke and Marcus North started to play for the day. At one stage during the last session only 36 came off 15 overs. There were the occasional boundaries but spinners did for a period put a stop on the free flow scoring that was seen through the day. This going into the shell cost Clarke his wicket as in the 80th over he flashed one outside the off-stump and only succeeded in edging one to a diving Chris Gayle.

 

Brad Haddin and Marcus North then took Australia to the close of play without any further damage. It took Haddin 15 deliveries to get off the mark and though he looked a little rusty coming back from a injury, he was able to take his team to safety at the end of the day.