WI-AUS Test: Joseph's 7 wkts help West Indies beat Australia in a thriller

West Indies pacer Shanar Joseph's seven wickets helped West Indies beat Australia by 8 runs in second Test at the Gabba in Brisbane on Sunday. 

History was created at the Gabba as the West Indies won their first test match on Australian soil after 27 years. The young pacer playing only his second Test match showed what a player he is. After being struck on the toe last evening, he left for all money; nobody anticipated that he would bowl today, much less lead his team to victory. The young man gave a performance fit for a lion, and it will surely live on for a very long time. He finished with impressive stats of 7/68, and the West Indies and their supporters will never forget that day for a very long time.

While talking to broadcasters at Fox Cricket, Joseph said, "He was not  coming to  the  ground on Day 4 after splitting his toe's webbing, but the team doctor did a great job."

"(On the doctor) He called me this morning, I was in my bed. I told him I was not well, I was in a lot of pain, and he told me to come to the ground, and he believed I could do it. I did really well for my team," he added.

How did Australia lose the battle?

Australia would have been very confident of their chances, especially after Smith and Green played so well  Day 4's first hour when they needed to score 216 to win. However, it was Shamar Joseph who fearlessly made his way back out despite a painful injury that caused the West Indies to unravel. He eliminated Head and Green from subsequent deliveries. And that wasn't all; following the interval, he came back and claimed the next four wickets to fall. 

 

Smith was watching from the other end as Starc collapsed after a brief cameo and none of Marsh, Carey, or Cummins could hold the fort. Lyon persevered through the first session's extension, despite the West Indies only needing two wickets. After failing to make a return catch on the previous delivery, Alzarri Joseph stole the show from Lyon just as it appeared that Australia had regained some momentum. It was really up to Steve Smith after that. 

He gave it his all, tried his hardest, and managed to reduce the number of runs needed to just ten, but he relied on Hazlewood to face the final two deliveries of each over. Unfortunately, Shamar Joseph was simply too skilled, as he ripped the off-stump out.








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