Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood : Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood beat top-seeded West Indies to lead Australia to victory

Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood

Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood

Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood : In the opening Test at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, Travis Head hit a blistering 119 and Josh Hazlewood destroyed the West Indies’ top order and put Australia on the way to a comprehensive victory.

Head’s seventh Test century, his second at home ground, helped Australia post 283 all out for a handy lead of 95 in the low-scoring contest.

Hazlewood then produced a four-wicket burst to rock the West Indies. who finished Day II on a precarious73/6, still 22 behind and with a defeat inside three days looming large.

Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood

Justin Greaves fell for 24 to the final delivery of the day leaving Joshua Da Silva on 17 at the other end.

“I feel like we’re a lot sharper and have more pace on the wicket than we did yesterday (Wednesday), so yeah, that’s a good thing,” Hazlewood said.

“You are always in the game even if you are hit for a four occasionally.”

After Australia regained the lead at 59/2, West Indies often managed to stay in the game. Steve Smith finished fourth after climbing to the top of the leaderboard.

Cameron Green (14) could not impress.

Shamar Joseph (5/94) dismissed Green caught behind, and fellow debutant Greaves sent back Usman Khawaja (45), who was snared in the slip.

Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey didn’t last long but Head fought back and celebrated the milestone with a Gudaksh Motier that saw the off-spinner score. The left-hander, who hit consecutive sixes, made 3,000 Test runs while batting.

Ghavem Hodge makes a good catch near the rope to dismiss Head, who had gone after Alzarri Joseph.

Shemar removed Nathan Ryan (24) to take him for five, but World Test champions Australia held on as the West Indies struggled for the first time in two days.

Hazlewood then rattled the visitors, not allowing them any time to settle. The Windies never recovered.

West Indies, who have not won a Test since 1997, will be without all-rounders Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers, opting instead to play in the lucrative T20 league.

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