Debutant Shamar Joseph Shines as Australia Dominates Series-Opening Test

In the series-opening Test here on Wednesday, debutant Shamar Joseph gave an undermanned West Indies team a rare highlight by taking Steve Smith's most sought-after wicket with his first delivery.

After winning the toss and bowling first, Australia's skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood both claimed four wickets as they held the Windies to 188 runs.

In his second Test match, Kirk McKenzie scored the highest run total for the visitors with his first half-century. However, they were able to reach 200 thanks to a 55-run partnership between Shamar and Kemar Roach for the tenth wicket.

Seven players in the Windies team are uncapped, and they haven't won a Test match in Australia since February 1997.

After replacing David Warner in the 106th Test, Smith's debut innings as an opener produced 12 runs before Shamar (2/18) made sure it would not be a happy memory for him by having Australia's top batsman caught at slip with his first delivery and then taking Marnus Labuschagne later in the day.

In a picture-perfect entrance to Test cricket, the 24-year-old bowler was followed and hounded by his teammates as he celebrated by running almost to the boundary.

Naturally, the pacer was on fire, and he was rewarded when Labuschagne (10) misplayed a hook shot that was caught on the boundary.

Usman Khawaja was undefeated at thirty and Cameron Green, playing his first Test match for Australia since last June, was batting at six at stumps as Australia trailed by 129 runs at 59/2.

Australia led after the first session when Cummins (4/41) maintained his impressive form with two wickets, followed by Hazlewood (4/44) who got his 250th Test wicket. After lunch, he kept up his unrelenting length and line, forcing Green to dismiss Kavem Hodge (12) before McKenzie was eventually removed for a superb half-century off 94 balls.

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