Australia won the toss at Sabrina Park on Sunday and opted to bat first to capitalize on the daylight. The decision fired back almost immediately when the pink Dukes went flying off Sam Konstas' bat's edge towards the slip cordon in the fifth over but Kevlon Anderson could not hold on. Nevertheless, Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph kept nailing their lengths before Alzarri Joseph and Justin Greaves backed up their good work, the latter eventually breaking a 28-run opening stand that lasted 16 overs. Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green tidily saw out the rest of the session thereafter to go into Lunch at 50/1.
The second session proved calamitous for the Men in Maroon, despite Shamar breaking through early with Khawaja's wicket, as Alzarri had to walk off with back issues while both Mikyle Louis and John Campbell injured themselves while fielding. The hosts were thus forced into operating with spin more than they would've liked, and the visitors pounced on the opportunity with a 61-run third wicket stand between Cameron Green and Steve Smith. The former played with caution but his veteran partner did not shy away from accepting any scoring opportunities, one of his flurries including three consecutive boundaries. However, just as the team seemed slated to head into Dinner in the ascendancy, Seales produced a jaffa to clatter into Green's off-stump and strand the batter four short of a half-century.
The Men from Down Under resumed under lights at 138/3 and immediately faced hostile conditions with the pink ball nipping around relentlessly. Smith eventually tried to break free with a loose shot wide of his body and thus gifted Shamar his wicket, beginning a dramatic collapse that saw the team lose seven wickets for 68 runs. Shamar got rid of Beau Webster in the same spell before a brilliant diving catch from substitute Anderson Phillip signalled the end of Head's stay. After brief counterattacks from Alex Carey and pat Cummins worth 21 and 24 runs respectively, the last four wickets fell in the space of 23 deliveries as Seales and Alzarri ended with three while Shamar picked four.
The Windies thus walked out to bat with a little over half hour to fend, and had Brandon King accompany Kevlon given the other two opening options were not yet ready to take the field. However, with Mitchell Starc wielding the ball under lights, there was little hope of escaping unscathed as the left-arm quick sent Kevlon's bails flying in the fifth over. King and skipper Roston Chase did well thereafter to avoid any further damage, ending the day at 16/1.
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