Few years down a person in a family of five brothers and three sisters, growing up idolizing Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh , opening bowlers of the then West Indies team in the 90s and early 2000s, imitating them in his tape ball games across his village, starting to bowl with fruits like lemons, lime ,guavas and peaches along with tape ball which was dubbed as ‘Jungle cricket’ in Baracara, 24 year Shamar Joseph has launched himself into the history books on 28th January 2024 as his spell of 7-68 decimated Australia in Gabba by 8 runs.
These heroics from 24 year old pacer formerly a security guard who debuted in this test series in the first match picking up fifer in the same , getting toe crushed by an Yorker only to return to bowl an inspired spell in an day night test , Shamar Joseph has etched himself a place in history of West Indies cricket as his spell inspired West Indies to beat Australia for the first time in Pink ball test.
This win after 27 years which bought happiness to West Indian legend Brian Lara in the commentary box is a story of grit and determination of a team willing to rise from ashes after witnessing a golden chapter in the early 80s till late 2000s. Kraigg Braithwaite along with his young team where majority of experienced players like Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers opting out scripted an history similar to Indian victory at Gabba in 2021 summer.
First Session : Pre-Dinner 27 overs 124 runs 6 wickets. Shamar Joseph’s 2nd fifer keeps West Indies hopes at bay with Smith’s 76* carries Australia’s hope.
Starting on a rather gloomy day on Day 4, host Australia with overnight batters Steve Smith and Cameroon Green on crease Australia started with a hope of whitewashing West Indies to a 2-0 end to their summer on a high.
In gloomy conditions, Smith and Cameron Green were solid in defence as they negotiated testing opening spells and nearly went through the first hour unscathed. Shamar’s last two balls before drinks, however, suddenly changed the complexion of the game. After picking up speed, and a few boundaries, Green was done in by an absolute jaffa when Shamar got one to breach Green’s defenses, hit his elbow and crash the stumps, denying the batter a hard-fought fifty. Green batted well to make 42.
The pacer then handed Travis Head a king pair, bowled by a terrific yorker. Smith got his fifty right after, and Mitchell Marsh started aggressively just like in the first innings but Shamar nipped that threat in the bud. In his next over, the pacer knocked back Alex Carey’s off-stump as Australia slipped from 113/2 to 136/6 in the space of six overs.
Mitchell Starc briefly counterattacked, hitting four beautiful boundaries in his stroke-filled knock of 21 off 14. However, Shamar had the last laugh when Starc miscued his pull to covers to leave Australia seven down on 171. Pat Cummins lasted all of eight balls before Shamar got a length ball to rear up on the Australian skipper and take a thick outside edge through to the keeper.
Having lost their captain at the stroke of Dinner, Smith nearly walked off for the break before returning to the middle as the session was extended. Australia needed 45 more to win and Windies were just two scalps away. Smith carried out innings further with Nathan Lyon till the stroke of dinner but spirited Shamar Joseph and West Indies kept their spirits high with Australia needing 29 runs to win and West Indies sensing history in the making.
Final Session – Steve Smith 90 * as Australia fell agonizingly short by a fire spell of Shamar Joseph whose 7-fer scripts famous West Indian victory on Australian soil in 27 years.
In bright and sunny conditions on the other side of Dinner, the sun set quickly on Australia’s stunning pink-ball record. After shelling a low return catch off Nathan Lyon, Alzarri Joseph had him edging behind the very next delivery as Australia needed 25 more with the last pair in the middle.
All eyes were on Smith, batting on 76, and he did lift their hopes with a four and a six in succeeding over off the Josephs. Fittingly though, it was Shamar who knocked back Josh Hazlewood’s off-stump and set off on a wild, celebratory lap as West Indies registered their first win at the Gabba since 1968. Smith as opener left stranded on 90 not out only to see West Indies erupt in joy over their test series levelling victory at Gabba , a 27 year drought ended inspired by one and only warrior Shamar Joseph.
Presentations and Road Ahead.
Winning captain Kraigg Brathwaite said :
“I love it (day-night Test), we won a Test match in Australia so it’s amazing. Means a lot for us, been a number of years since we won a Test match here. But for me, this is the beginning. We should keep doing this. I must say we had two words that inspired us in this Test match, Mr. Rodney Hogg said that we were pathetic and hopeless. That was our inspiration,”
“We wanted to show the world we’re not pathetic. And I must ask him, are these muscles big enough for him (Shows his biceps). I wanted to show the world what we’re made of. The doctor told me that Shamar could do it and I had to back him. He’s a superstar. I know he’ll do great things for the West Indies in the future,”
“Just his belief is incredible, he told me that he won’t stop bowling till we win it. Very proud of the guys, they showed a lot of fire and heart, especially after the first Test. Very nice to see how they put in a fight, especially the batters. We can only learn from this win. I believe the more the better, that’s how we learn. I would love more Test cricket for sure,”
Losing Captain Pat Cummins said :
“Disappointment after the loss but it was a fantastic match, a fantastic series. The way Shamar bowled was right up there, unfortunately we weren’t good enough. We were pretty confident coming in today. Think we did well yesterday to restrict them to a 216-run target, thought we had a chance. Smith was fantastic, almost dragged us over the line. It’s been brilliant, same bowling group for five Test matches in the summer is a big effort,”
“Yesterday it was 37 degrees and 90% humidity but the guys were still charging in, so a big effort. I think we’ve all played enough to know this game humbles you quickly, as soon as you think you’re on top of the world, it pulls you down and you start from zero, I think the West Indies played brilliantly. They played really well, 1-1 is probably a pretty fair result for the series. Good thing is there’s always another game around the corner, any away tour is going to be difficult but we’re looking forward to it,”
Player and Man of the Series Shamar Joseph exclaimed :
“It is actually amazing for me , you know, I just want to turn this way to give a shout out to my teammates and the management staff for great words of encouragement. Having a bruised toe to bowl with, but I just go through the phase and pain, knowing that I need to do this for my team and you know for everyone in my country and the Caribbean. Came down to the crowd, to keep pushing us and actually believing us that we can bring the series to 1-1, thank you guys so much,”
“Where’s Dr. Byom? (Chuckles). He called me this morning and I was in my bed, then after 11, I was sleeping at 12:15 so he asked me how I was feeling, I said not well, feeling pain and all these things and he said come to the ground, I have a reason. I don’t know if it was for this reason or not but it was for a good reason, to win the Test match for your team. A shout out to him for keeping believing in me, he knew what I am capable of. I’m really happy that he got me here and I did really well for my team once again,”
“It was all about getting close, getting to that 5 wickets needed just like 4 more wickets. Having Alzarri backing me, a senior player Kemar Roach, all the senior fast bowlers believed in me, they supported me a lot throughout the game even though I was emotional and I was crying but those were tears of joy, knowing that I’m doing this for my team, those were just tears of joy and happiness,”
“It is just about believing, made a lot of sacrifice to get here, remembering what you did back then and it is just to continue from what happened in the past, so I just stick to my basics and take advice from the seniors and that worked for me well,”
The celebrations will undoubtedly go long into the night today in the West Indies camp. They rallied under their skipper’s vision and with a lot of help from their latest sensation, Shamar Joseph, they trounced Australia in Australia – a feat that few teams can boast of having done in recent times. And as we look ahead, we’ve got a limited-overs series coming up between these two sides. That’s 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is coming up so lots to look forward to once you’ve gotten over this absolute humdinger of a series which gave lease to West Indies Test cricket .