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West Indies pacers Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph combined to dismantle Australia on the opening day of the first Test in Barbados, as both teams traded blows in a gripping start to the series.
Seales picked up 5 for 60 and Joseph took 4 for 46 to bowl out Australia for just 180 in their first innings—Australia’s lowest Test total in the Caribbean when batting first, and their lowest in the region since 1995.
However, Australia’s pace attack hit back late in the day, leaving West Indies struggling at 57 for 4 by stumps, still trailing by 123 runs.
After electing to bat, Australia’s top order was once again exposed. They slipped to 22 for 3, with Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, and Josh Inglis falling early. Usman Khawaja, who was dropped twice on 6 and 45, tried to steady the innings along with Travis Head, and the pair added 89 runs for the fourth wicket.
Head played positively and reached a 57-ball half-century, but wickets kept falling around him. Khawaja eventually fell for 47 after bottom-edging, and Head followed soon after for 59, edging a delivery to the keeper that was controversially ruled not out at first, but he was later dismissed in similar fashion.
Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins all fell quickly as Australia collapsed, losing 7 wickets for just 69 runs. Seales completed his five-wicket haul by dismissing Hazlewood and giving him a send-off, while Joseph continued to impress with pace, movement, and bounce.
In reply, West Indies lost early wickets as Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins made immediate breakthroughs. Kraigg Brathwaite was caught at slip in his 99th Test, and John Campbell was dismissed soon after, leaving the hosts at 16 for 2.
Keacy Carty and debutant Brandon King tried to stabilize the innings but fell in the final overs. Cummins dismissed Carty with a delivery that rose sharply, and Josh Hazlewood removed nightwatchman Jomel Warrican, ending a dramatic day.
With the pitch offering movement and uneven bounce, both teams will need to bat carefully in the coming days. If the pattern continues, the match might not last the full five days.
