Lunch Australia 89 for 1 (Khawaja 50*, Labuschagne 13*, Joseph 1-30) vs West Indies
But Warner again fell cheaply in another missed opportunity in his bid to end a near three-year Test century drought. Looking particularly focused despite being in the headlines on match eve, Warner was watchful, scoring just 9 off his first 23 balls, before smashing three boundaries off an increasingly ragged Joseph. Warner, however, was left stunned when he was caught behind for 21 chasing a wide ball from Joseph in an ungainly dismissal.
Meanwhile, after his commanding form in Perth, Labuschagne batted cautiously against improved West Indies bowling later in the session. Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite unsuccessfully reverted to spinner Roston Chase as the first change bowler in a baffling move. But it proved an uninspired one even as his pace bowlers finally found the right length to stymie Khawaja, who was stuck on 49 for 26 deliveries.
Much like their effort in the 164-run first-Test defeat, West Indies’ quicks weren’t able to consistently threaten Australia’s top order. Encouraged by tennis ball-like bounce, they targeted a short length and resisted trying to conjure early swing with the pink ball.
But Anderson Phillip, playing just his second Test match, impressed later in the session, as his tight line and lengths restricted the scoring. It was a much-needed tonic for an injury-hit West Indies, whose woes deepened when debutant quick Marquino Mindley left the field with a suspected hamstring injury after bowling just two overs.
Mindley had arrived in Adelaide on Monday from the Caribbean as injury cover for the beleaguered tourists, for whom Phillip also came in as replacement for Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales, respectively, with both having sustained injuries in the first Test. In fact middle-order batter Devon Thomas also made his debut.
Both teams made a host of changes, with Australia’s regular captain Pat Cummins failing to overcome a quad strain he picked up during the first Test, while quick Josh Hazlewood was ruled out with general soreness after West Indies batted for more than 200 overs across the two innings in Perth.
Seamers Scott Boland and Michael Neser added to Test matches they played last summer against England, while former skipper Smith took the reins from Cummins like he did in the Ashes Test in Adelaide last summer.