On Sunday night in Brisbane, West Indies’ Shamar Joseph was unable to walk after receiving a toe-brushing yorker from Mitchell Starc. His right foot was injured, forcing him to retire hurt. It was widely speculated that he would not be able to take any further part in the game. However, Joseph defied the odds and the injury, returning to produce a sensational spell of fast bowling, claiming 7-68 in an unbroken spell on Sunday afternoon that ripped through Australia’s batting line-up. This helped West Indies secure their first victory on Australian soil since 1997. It was also West Indies’ maiden Test win over the Aussies since 2003.
When Joseph walked off with a hurt toe, West Indies’ second innings also came to a close at 193, setting a 216-run target for Australia to chase and whitewash the visitors yet again. Joseph underwent scans on Saturday evening after retiring hurt, but thankfully, he was cleared to join his teammates on Sunday. That never-say-never attitude was on display from Joseph and the entire West Indies team.
Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne were dismissed early in Australia’s second innings. Labuschagne’s departure, off Justin Greaves’ bowling, reduced Australia to 42-2, after Alzarri Joseph had claimed the crucial wicket of Khawaja. Despite missing Joseph, West Indies had Australia 60-2 at stumps on day three, with Steve Smith undefeated on 33 and Cameron Green on 9.
Day 4 began with Australia still needing 156 runs for victory, with 8 wickets in hand. Smith and Green took the field to resume play, and showed resilience against the Windies bowlers in the initial half-hour. Although initially tentative, they successfully wore down the West Indies bowlers.
Then, Joseph, playing just his second Test match, overcame physical discomfort to bowl a magical spell for his team. He dismissed Green with a remarkable delivery and then removed Travis Head for a golden duck, his second in the game. The rapid breakthroughs put Australia under pressure.
Mitchell Marsh contributed a couple of boundaries before falling victim to a nick to the slip cordon. Joseph continued his impressive spell by castling Alex Carey, who had fought hard for a fifty in the first innings, with an exquisite late-swinging delivery that disturbed the stumps.
Mitchell Starc entered the fray after Marsh’s dismissal, aggressively attacking every delivery. He scored a brisk 21 with four boundaries from just 14 deliveries. Starc’s belligerent approach continued, but a top edge from another short delivery by Joseph found a safe pair of hands at cover.
From one Joseph to another – it was Alzarri’s moment to leave an imprint on the game. His delivery found the edge of Pat Cummins’ bat, shaping away after hitting the deck. With only 28 more runs needed for victory, Nathan Lyon and Smith took the field to resume the innings post-dinner. Lyon managed a crucial boundary to chip away at the victory target but succumbed when he under-edged one straight to Joshua Da Silva.
Despite Smith’s brilliant batting, West Indies had the last laugh as Joseph delivered a beauty to dismiss Josh Hazlewood. Ultimately, victory was secured by 8 runs, with the second-last ball of Joseph’s 12th over proving decisive. Smith might be contemplating the decision to take a single off the fourth ball, but hindsight is always 20-20.
Defeating Australia in their backyard is a remarkable feat in itself. Considering how the West Indies Test team has struggled in the format, especially away from home, this achievement stands out. It will undoubtedly be on par with the twin ODI World Cup wins and the twin T20 World Cup victories. In his first Test series, with 13 wickets and two five-wicket hauls to his name, Joseph, from a remote Guyanese village, proved that he belongs at this level. His home may not have had the Internet before 2018, but his name will echo around the cricket world today.