Jamaica, July 13 (UNI) The nighttime session of third Frank Worrell Trophy Test has added a new element to a series already in fast forward, with Steve Smith revealing he was “trying to throw the kitchen sink at it” when dismissed shortly after the floodlights took over here on last night.
Amid a challenging day of batting against a pink Dukes ball offering considerable seam movement as well as spin, Smith said Australia’s approach to batting under lights was to “get on with it”.
Australia lost their final seven wickets in 18.3 overs in the final session of day one at Sabina Park after going to the dinner break in a strong position at 3-138.
While the rate of wickets sped up under lights, so too did the scoring with the visitors adding 87 runs at 4.7 an over in that period to be bowled out for 225 and leave West Indies a challenging 30-minute period to survive before stumps.
Mitchell Starc, playing his 100th Test, ensured they didn’t get through unscathed, making it eight wickets for the session when he dismissed debutant Kevlon Anderson, who had shuffled up from No.3 with openers Mikyle Louis (knee) and John Campbell (external blow) both at hospital getting scans after suffering injuries in the field.
Smith, who was the first wicket to fall when the lights took over, said he was “trying to climb into” any width after the dinner break, scoring two boundaries through and over the cordon in the night session before being caught at first slip on 48.
“It felt pretty tricky out there and it felt like when the ball was (pitched) up and you get a good look at it, have a go at it,” Smith said of his approach under lights.
“I went at one the over before (he got out), and it flew over the top, maybe I should have tried hit that one (his dismissal) in the air as well.
“But I was trying to get on with it.
“When I got something in my areas that I liked, it’s one of those wickets (that) if you’re just going to sit there, you’re probably a sitting duck.
“It was being positive and then towards the back end when Alex (Carey) and Patty (Cummins) were in, it was about trying to go pretty hard and score as many as quickly as possible.
“We got a chance to bowl under lights to try and make a few inroads, which we got one tonight (and) beat the bat a few times.”
Australia’s run rate in the night session was in stark contrast to how they started their first day-night Test overseas, with openers Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas weathering extravagant seam movement that averaged one degree and peaked at three in the first session as they crept to 1-50 off 25 overs at the first break.
But Smith said the pitch got faster as the day progressed, with the speed of deliveries earlier losing 16kph off the wicket after they bounced compared to just 5kph under lights.
It made for another wicket-laden opening for the third time this series – which is only into its eighth day of cricket – with 14 wickets falling on day one in Barbados, following by 10 in Grenada and 11 in Jamaica.
“It certainly felt like the wicket sped up a bit (in the night session),” Smith said.
“It was a bit skiddier but there was still plenty in (the wicket) and it certainly felt like there was seam all day.
“It’s quite a slow outfield so I think it’s a reasonable total.
“There was plenty in the wicket all day (and) some of the numbers really early on, the seam amounts were through the roof.
“When it’s a bit slower, potentially tomorrow in the day, it might hold in the surface a bit more again and seam quite big.
“For us … it’s about trying to get that ball a little bit fuller, get the top of the stumps into play and challenge the front foot defence,” he added.
Brief score:
Australia: 225
West Indies: 16/1
