Test Cricket : West Indies Shocks Australia
It had been almost 27 years since the West Indies cricket team had beaten Australia in a Test Match on home soil, but yesterday against all the odds - they did it. Winning by just 8 runs on Day 4. As someone who grew up and fell in love with cricket in the 80s when the West Indies was the team to beat, I've sadly watched them fall into serious decline in recent decades. So as a cricket fan I am kind of happy to see them upset a powerhouse cricketing nation. Just a shame that it had to be us...
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There are a couple of big stories to come out of the game and while cricket fans will probably hear all about the first one, the second one would have been the big story if the result had been different. Just 8 runs separated the teams and that is a tiny margin for Test Cricket.
Shamar Joseph is the big story, getting Man of the Match along with Player of the Series. This 24 year old fast bowler from West Indies has come from obscurity to play his first 2 Test Matches and his 7 wicket haul in the Final Innings of this game was not only remarkable, but clearly a match winning effort. Well done young man, I hope you can go on to achieve great things.
The other story that isn't getting much coverage was the effort of Steve Smith. A taken-for-granted champion #3 and #4 batsman who put his hand up to take on the challenge of Opening for Australia this series amidst the usual cacophony of criticism and controversy, he carried his bat through the entire Final Innings (from first ball to last) and almost got the win for Australia except he ran out of batting partners. He finished on 91 Not Out, but if he had a batting partner stay with him he probably would have won the game AND scored a century in that final innings. Then HE would have been the hero of the day. Not to be, but hopefully the real cricket fans will take note and give him some credit.
All up it was another great finish to a Test Match and we've had a couple this Summer. The cricket season here is winding up now with the Big Bash over and the Tests are done too. We have a few T20s and One-Dayers against the West Indies over coming weeks but that's pretty much it.
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Everything goes in cycles. Teams can’t be great forever. Sometimes you have to be humbled to get back on top.
I didn't watch sports too much but I think many teams which were doing their best , now they are not working good. But its a game and no one can predict what will happened.
I guess it feels good so see the cricket team you support do something that incredible after being in decline for a long time. I am not a fan of cricket but I could feel the excitement from your writeup. I hope they will continue to win this time. Thanks for sharing this brief sports review.
I’m sure that people didn’t see that coming
Tables turn and that’s why it is not always good to feel relaxed cos you feel you’re better than a team
Brain Lara looked emotional after the win.
Yes, I think for a lot of the West Indies greats who have lamented their teams decline over recent decades it would have been quite emotional.
Yeah
Yay! 🤗
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Shamar Joseph is the man that let them came out with the victory, i love his bowling.
Amazing win. Reminds me of the match between the same 2 sides way back in 93 when Windies won by just a run- I was in the crowd that day!
Actually that was the one aspect of the game that was disappointing, there was hardly anyone there to watch it. What’s happened to crowds in Australia?
Would be great for the game if WI can rediscover some of their former threat but there have been so many false dawns in the past (Their victory against England in 2017 for example) that it’s difficult to believe it’s not just another flash in the pan.
Yes, I hope it's not just a flash in the pan but hopefully it's a spark at least.
Hard to say with the crowds. The first 2 days had 23K and 29K and then the crowd dropped off over the weekend. The first test against WI went for just over 2 days so people might have been wary of another flogging. Brisbane is often called the "Gabbatoir" because it's where many touring sides get annihilated.
After 27 years it's a lot of fun to beat any team like that because 27 years is a long time and the West Indies team has put in a lot of hard work so we give them a lot of credit for that. Congratulations.
@azircon