Day One: West Indies shocked

Australia is in full control of the second Cable and Wireless Test match against the West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad after the end of the first day’s play. Already leading the series one match to nil, the Australians are 391 for three after the completion of 90 overs. Vice captain Ricky Ponting and middle order Darren Lehmann both scored centuries in a record third wicket stand of 315.

Opting to bat first on a benign Queen’s Park Oval wicket, the Australians were the victim of the first of many poor umpiring blunders. Openers Langer and Hayden gave Australia an all too familiar blistering start with Langer taking four boundaries off an undetermined Pedro Collins. But Asoka de Silva gave two error ridden LBW decisions in favor of Mervyn Dillon against both the openers. Replays showed that the ball had pitched outside the line of leg stump on both occasions. It was evident that de Silva was trying to make up for two close calls earlier in the first session off the same bowler.

At 56 for two, Lehmann joined Ponting and together they took the game beyond the reach of the hosts by the Tea interval. The two also had the fortune of a couple of missed chances and a few more umpiring mistakes. Marlon Samuels, who looked particularly out of sorts in the park, dropped Ponting once and misfielded and fumbled several times throughout the day. Debutante wicket keeper Carlton Baugh had to wait till late in the day to grab his first Test victim but he had two chances off the same batsman. The first one was off Drakes just before the tea break when umpire Koetzen gave not out to a thick edge to the keeper and then Baugh himself dropped Lehmann down the leg side off a top edge. But in the end he did get his victim off Drakes and the batsman was Lehmann, out for a 160, his first test match hundred in 10 matches played so far.

Ponting looked a bit scrappy to start off with but soon he and Lehmann cashed in on every bad ball bowled at them. The West Indies had the indignity of bowling only seven maiden overs in the day. Lehmann was sever on anything too full or a little short while Ponting was dismissive on the deliveries at a driving length and on the long hops bowled at him several times on the day.

After Lehmann’s dismissal, Gilchrist has been promoted to number five ahead of skipper Steve Waugh. He is not out on 14 while Ponting is with him at 146. Brian Lara would have a lot to say to his phlegmatic bowlers who seemed to have learned nothing from the first test match at Guyana.

Match Summary:
Australia: 391 for 3 after 90 overs.
Darren Lehmann 160, Ricky Ponting 146*.
Mervyn Dillon 2/79, Vasbert Drakes 1/79.



Posted by Isam