‘The game is not done yet’

BRISBANE, Australia (CMC):

VICE-CAPTAIN AND strike bowler Alzarri Joseph said West Indies were still confident of winning after Australia grabbed control of the day-night second Test yesterday and require another 156 for a clean sweep of the series.

After bowling out the Caribbean side for 193 on the third day of the match at the Gabba, the Australians reached 60 for two in their second innings at the close, having boldly declared at 289 for nine in reply to the West Indies’ first innings total of 311.

“We still have eight wickets to get, and you never know what can happen on the fourth day,” Joseph told reporters after play.

“As long as we bowl the ball in the right areas, we could still win this game.

“For me, I like the fight that the boys have put in with both bat and ball. We’ll take quite a bit of confidence from this series, but the game is not done yet and there could be more.

“We’re still playing for a win. We’re still thinking about getting eight wickets and winning the game. So, for us, it will be about doing the right things for long periods.”

Joseph made the breakthrough to remove left-handed opener and World Test Player-of-the-Year Usman Khawaja for 10, and he was the pick of the West Indies bowlers in the first innings, taking four wickets.

On his bowling form: “I would say I am about 80 per cent, but there is always room for improvement. So let’s just see how this second innings unfolds.”

Yesterday, a handful of West Indies batsmen – led by left-hander Kirk McKenzie, whose 41 was the top score – got starts without carrying on, the Caribbean side, whose 193 in their second innings in the first hour after tea on the third day left the Australians 216 to win.

West Indies, minus fast bowler Shamar Joseph who was injured while batting, then got the scalps of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne cheaply.

Joseph made the breakthrough in his third over when he got the newly minted World Test Player-of-the-Year, caught behind down the leg-side for 10.

Pace bowling all-rounder Justin Greaves followed up five overs later when he condemned Labuschagne to another low score in the series, squaring him up with a well-pitched delivery that had him caught at third slip for five.

The Caribbean side continued to make good use of the night-time conditions, but they failed to make further inroads into the Australia batting with makeshift opener Steve Smith, not out on 33, and beanpole all-rounder Cameron Green, not out on nine, batting through almost nine overs to the close.

West Indies trail 1-0 in the two-Test series after they were beaten by 10 wickets inside three days in the first Test in Adelaide.

The visitors are seeking their first win Down Under in a Test since Brian Lara and Curtly Ambrose spearheaded a 10-wicket triumph 27 years ago in Perth.