(CMC) – Two wickets before the close have given West Indies an outside chance at a rare win against hosts and world champions Australia, after another feeble batting performance on Saturday undermined the gains they have made in their day-night second Test.

A handful of batsmen, led by left-hander Kirk McKenzie whose 41 was the top score, got starts without carrying on, and the Caribbean side were dismissed for 193 in their second innings in the first hour after tea on the third day of the match at the Gabba to set 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, and Australia reached 60 for two in their second innings at stumps, having declared on 289 for nine, in reply to the visitors’ first innings total of 311.

Strike bowler and West Indies vice-captain Alzarri Joseph made the breakthrough in his third over when he got left-handed opener and newly-minted World Test Player-of-the-Year Usman Khawaja caught behind down the leg-side for 10.

Pace bowling all-rounder Justin Greaves followed up five overs later when he condemned Marnus Labuschagne to another low score in the series, squaring him up with a well-pitched delivery and 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, and they 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.

“I think we bowled pretty well, and it’s just for us to come [Sunday] and keep pegging away and putting the ball in the right areas,” vice-captain Joseph told reporters after play.
The visitors got a solid start to the day after they continued from their overnight total of 13 for one and McKenzie took charge after he joined their captain Kraigg Brathwaite and they put on 50 for the second wicket.

Brathwaite drove half-heartedly and was caught at cover off Green for 16 on the stroke of the first hour, and McKenzie was lbw to off-spinner Nathan Lyon essaying a sweep, and West Indies reached dinner on 106 for three, leading by 128.

Runs came at a premium for the Caribbean side after the interval, and they reached 183 for six at tea, extending the lead to 205, with Lyon wheeling away, while the pacer worked their way through short spells because of the heat.

Left-hander Alick Athanaze edged an ill-advised, loose drive and was caught at slip off Lyon for 35, Kavem Hodge was run out for 29 when he played Lyon to short-leg and fielder Travis Head gathered and threw down the stumps in one fluid motion to find him with his bat in the air, and Joshua Da Silva, top scorer in the first innings, was caught at gully off left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc for seven.

There was token resistance from the rest of the West Indies batting after tea, and the innings limped to a premature close when Shamar Joseph was forced to retire hurt on three after he was hobbled by a toe-crushing yorker from Starc.

Cricket West Indies later reported on X (formerly Twitter) that scans on Joseph’s foot showed no fracture, and he will continue to be monitored by the medical staff and assessed on Sunday to determine if he can bowl.
Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the Australia bowlers with three for 23 from 14 overs, and Lyon finished with three for 42 from 22 overs.