Key events
8th over: Australia 30-1 (Smith 20, Labuschagne 0) Oof. Labuschagne leaves a ball from Joseph that bounces just over off stump. He looks nervous, understandably after a tricky series in which he’s scored only 14 runs, and is playing at as little as possible. A maiden.
7th over: Australia 30-1 (Smith 20, Labuschagne 0) With Shamar Joseph off the field, Justin Greaves comes on for first change. His second ball is a stinker, short and pulled emphatically for four by Smith. That’s Smith fourth boundary; he’s looking good and is into the twenties for the first time as an opener. Just under an hour’s play remaining tonight.
6th over: Australia 24-1 (Smith 13, Labuschagne 0) Joseph barely celebrated that wicket, presumably because it was such an ordinary delivery, but it has given West Indies hope.
WICKET! Australia 24-1 (Khawaja c da Silva b A Joseph 10)
Now then. Khawaja falls cheaply for the first time in the series, tickling a catch down the leg side off Alzarri Joseph. How West Indies needed that.
5th over: Australia 23-0 (Smith 13, Khawaja 10) Too short from Roach and Khawaja flick-pulls smoothly for four. This is already threatening to get away from West Indies, who look flat in the field. Australia need 193 to win.
4th over: Australia 17-0 (Smith 13, Khawaja 4) Smith leans into an outswinger from Joseph and pings a square drive for four. Australia will be really pleased with this start – a couple of balls have gone past the edge but otherwise they have looked comfortable.
3rd over: Australia 12-0 (Smith 9, Khawaja 3) Khawaja is beaten by a gorgeous delivery from Roach that moves very late. He’s the dangerman for Australia, even more so with Shamar Joseph probably out of the game with a busted toe. But the rest of the over is pretty harmless, including a full toss that Smith can’t put away.
Bharat Sundaresan with an update on Shamar Joseph:
“The news from the camp is that he is icing his foot. He has not gone for scans. They are just monitoring him for now.”#AUSvWI
— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) January 27, 2024
2nd over: Australia 9-0 (Smith 8, Khawaja 1) Alzarri Joseph shares the new ball. Khawaja gets off the mark with a single, then Smith smashes a back cut for four. Lamentable delivery, laudable shot.
Joseph replies with a jaffa that turns Smith round and zips past the edge. Smith nods respectfully to the bowler.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Smith 4, Khawaja 0) Roach starts with a couple of big inswingers to Smith, who offers no stroke to the first and plays around the second. West Indies go up for LBW but it was missing leg.
After a nervous start in his new role, with scores of 12, 11* and 6, Smith would love a matchwinning innings to silence the chatter. He gets off the mark with a handsome drive to the left of mid-off for four.
Okay, here we go: Kemar Roach to Steve Smith.
Australia need 216 to win
They have just under 90 minutes to bat against the new ball under lights. West Indies surely need to take at least two wickets, ideally 10.
Shamar Joseph retires hurt: West Indies 193 all out
Yes, Joseph is unable to continue. He limps from the field, supported by Sinclair and the physio. A number of the Australian players go over to see how he is. That’s a big blow because he surely won’t be able to bowl tonight, if at all.
