BRISBANE: West Indies pacer Kemar Roach took three quick wickets to stun Australia on day two of the second Test at the Gabba in Brisbane on Friday, leaving the hosts staggering on 24-4 at the first break.
After reaching 311 in their first innings, the West Indies struck early to dismiss Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green and Travis Head, leaving the Australian reply in tatters.
At dinner, Usman Khawaja was not out on six with Mitchell Marsh yet to come to the crease.
The Australian experiment of moving Smith up the order to open the batting after David Warner’s retirement hadn’t worked in the first Test in Adelaide last week, and it failed again on Friday.
After hitting a beautiful straight drive off Roach (3-13) to the boundary in the opening over, Smith was hit on the pad next ball, drawing a huge appeal from the West Indies.
Umpire Nitin Menon said not out but the West Indies reviewed immediately and replays showed the ball would have crashed into middle stump, leaving Australia 6-1.
It was 11-2 in the next over when Labuschagne got a thick edge to fourth slip off Alzarri Joseph, where Kevin Sinclair took a brilliant diving catch to his right.
Smith’s move up the order was prompted by the Australians’ desire to bring Green back into the side.
But Green failed in Adelaide and again on Friday, driving Roach on the up to give a simple catch to Kraigg Brathwaite at mid-off.
Hodge, Da Silva lead West Indies fightback in 2nd Test
Head, who smashed a brilliant 119 in the first Test, was out first ball, tickling a down the leg side to be caught by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva.
The West Indies resumed the day on 266-8, with debutant Sinclair on 16.
The Australian bowlers would have been hoping to wrap up the innings quickly on an oppressively humid day, but Sinclair and Roach frustrated them, batting through the first hour with little difficulty.
Roach was eventually run out after the drinks break but Sinclair was in great touch, bringing up his 50 with a four and six off spinner Nathan Lyon.
But he played and missed to Lyon on the next ball he faced and was stumped by Alex Carey to close the innings.