Similar to Windies’ early collapse in day 1, Australia slumped to 5/54 before mounting a fightback, led by Usman Khawaja who made 75, Alex Carey (65 from 49 balls) and Pat Cummins who scored 64 not out and declared the innings closed at 9/289, giving his side half an hour to bowl to West Indies before stumps. The visitors survived seven overs in the second innings, before Tagenarine Chanderpaul was caught behind off Josh Hazlewood’s bowling in the eighth and final over of the day.
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Even though Australia are behind on the 1st innings and have to bat last, i expect them to win from here.
Whilst the West Indies have surprised me so far, they’ve played a lot better than i thought they would, I’m not sure they have the ability to sustain this level of cricket over 5 days.
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Yeah so Aussie players are available for the Big Bash make sense. To me this year the scheduling worked well, even the West Indies got pretty good crowds. It maximises the crowds for both forms of the game. More kids can get out to watch test cricket in the school holidays rather than having test matches in November and early Dec. Oct / Nov is for Shield cricket. Having test cricket over the Aussie day long weekend / week is a must (in my view).
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The time has come for CA to shore up the Big Bash and try and protect it from erosion from other tournaments around the same time. The conscious decision to limit expenditure in the tournament puts it at a real disadvantage when trying to attract international talent, but it needs some draw factor to get the crowds.
I don’t like the idea of having the international players involved for only a short time (one or two games) - if its the aim, then we need to be getting them there for a decent length of the tournament.
Coming into the summer, I don’t think many would have said the schedule was that great but I think it turned out to be quite decent. I worry that ending the international component of the summer early will open windows that other countries will try and take advantage of to get Australia to tour (India & South Africa for instance). With bugger all ODIs and only a handful of T20s, its a bit of a challenge to extend the international summer later into January if the last test is going to be over in early Jan.
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I must say I’ve actually quite enjoyed having a day-night test late into January. Might be something to think about again in the future, particularly over the long weekend.
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South Africa women’s team has beaten Australia for the very first time, in any format. The Proteas won by six wickets in the second T20 match in Canberra early this afternoon.
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Great finish to this match, go Aussies, but I’m sniffing a Windies win now, can’t believe the wickets that are falling quickly the past hour or so with these gloomy skies, swinging everywhere for the bowlers and Carey… 
I’m the opposite, but as a general sport fan/lover, as anything that clashes with the Aussie Open (even regular TV viewing) doesn’t really get a look in with me, my sole focus is on the Grand Slam obviously.
I think that’s also where CA have tried to avoid clashing schedules in the past and for the most part we usually get it. And sounds like next year back to a proper November (with no World Cups, a SCG Test to finish like tradition and less cricket season fatigue including BBL).
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Things getting interesting at the Gabba!
AUS have just lost 2 quick wickets and are now 8 / 175 still needing another 41 runs … Smith the key unbeaten on 72 …
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Nice to see a close game. Test cricket at its best. Tough cricket, no limited overs for the bowlers and as a tail ender you have an opportunity to defend and bat.
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Australia are 8/185 at dinner, having lost six wickets in the session (all to Shamar Joseph) but also adding 127 runs. Great recovery for Joseph who took 6/60 so far this innings, after having to retire hurt while batting last night when his big toe was hit by a Mitchell Starc yorker.
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29 runs with two wickets in hand at dinner!
It’s going to be close
EDIT
12 RUNS WITH ONE WICKET
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Omg
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Well done Windies!
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West Indies have its first win in Australia since 1997! They beat the home side by eight runs just after dinner. The Windies also become the first team to beat Australia in a day/night test in Australia.
Shamar Joseph finished with 7/68, including the final wicket of Josh Hazlewood. Steve Smith carried the bat with 91 not out, the highest score in his four innings as opener. Travis Head had a rare failure with a king pair (first ball ducks).
The two-test series finished 1-1 but Australia retain the Frank Worrell Trophy.
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That was unbelievable. Well played West Indies, and Shamar Joseph take a bow
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I am happy for the West Indies. Poor decision by Cummins to declare at the end of the 1st innings with a wicket in hand.
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That was nailbiting stuff!
That was cricket at its best, across all formats.
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A couple of dropped catches in the Windies’ second innings didn’t help either.
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To think this is a side that had seven uncapped players going in to the series, and failed to qualify for the World Cup. Truly an amazing feat and I am over the moon for the West Indies, this is such a wonderful outcome for them and great for Test Cricket.
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A number of factors, given the small margin.
A king pair from Travis Head was very telling too.
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