On the opening day of the third Test against the West Indies, Australia found themselves bowled out for 225, collapsing dramatically from 4-157 to 7-68. Jayden Seales was instrumental in this collapse, taking 3 wickets for 59 runs, but his aggressive send-offs have drawn scrutiny from match officials.
Seales had a standout performance, dismissing Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins, and his on-field antics could lead to further sanctions, as he had already been fined for a previous send-off given to Cummins in the first Test. Reports suggest that after dismissing Steve Smith for 48 with a delivery from Shamar Joseph, Seales celebrated vigorously, which may have prompted controversy thereafter.
Despite the sending-off controversy, Seales clarified that his actions were not directed at Starc but rather at teammate Alzarri Joseph, dismissing concerns about inciting tension with the umpires. He stressed he would refrain from crossing any lines to avoid fines.
Smith, however, claimed he was unaware of any provocation, stating, “I didn’t hear anything. No idea.” Australia’s batting had faltered under the night conditions with the pink ball, as both opening batsmen failed to make an impact, with Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja scoring 17 and 23 runs, respectively. The recovery efforts were briefly provided by Green and Smith, but their dismissals sent the Australian innings spiralling downwards.
Meanwhile, Seales’ teammate Shamar Joseph excelled with the ball, achieving figures of 4-33, crushing the Australian batting lineup further. Starc, as expected, managed to claim a wicket with the new ball, dismissing West Indies’ opener Kevlon Anderson for 3. When play resumes, the West Indies sits at 1-16, with Brandon King and captain Roston Chase at the crease.
Steve Smith acknowledged the challenge of playing with the pink ball, noting its unpredictability compared to the red variant, stating, “The game can turn so quickly,” highlighting the difficulties faced by batters.
Australia, having won both the previous Tests and retained the Frank Worrell Trophy, will need to recalibrate during the remaining days of the match amidst the fiery performances from the West Indies bowlers.