Inspired Windies pair derail Aussie momentum

The opening day of the second NRMA Insurance Test between Australia and West Indies in Brisbane was following a familiar path until, well, it wasn't.

After rattling through five wickets in the first session of this day-night affair at the Gabba, Australia hit a roadblock after the dinner break in the form of Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva, who promptly stole the momentum and the headlines via a record-breaking partnership that was as inspired as it was unlikely.

In Adelaide a week ago, Hodge and Da Silva had made 39 runs between them across four innings. Today, they more than tripled that tally in a remarkable fightback that helped West Indies head to stumps at 8-266.

In the afternoon sun under which the match commenced, the chances of such a scoreline always seemed remote. West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and batted on a pitch that had shifted from greenish to straw-white across the preceding 24 hours, but he and his opening partner Tagenarine Chanderpaul (21) both struggled to find the middle of the bat.

From the first ball of the second over, Josh Hazlewood had Brathwaite given out lbw, but the skipper was quick to review and a thick edge became obvious with the benefit of the slow-motion replay.

The opening pair had added 14 and 0 in Adelaide and again today they seemed unlikely to hang around for long, and sure enough Brathwaite was caught behind for four off Hazlewood with the score at 1-9 half an hour into play.

No.3 Kirk McKenzie (21) continued with the sort of aggressive shot-making he had offered in the first Test, crashing Nathan Lyon for six over long-on despite failing to get anywhere near the pitch of the ball.

McKenzie added three fours to a productive 25-ball stay but was undone when Pat Cummins came from around the wicket and delivered a shortish teaser well outside off stump that the left-hander lashed at and edged through to Usman Khawaja at first slip.

A short time later, Hazlewood, having swapped ends with Mitchell Starc and also operating from around the wicket, could have had Chanderpaul when he found just enough seam movement, but the subsequent edge flew between first and second slip and down to the rope for four.

The very next over Starc, who had swung around to the Stanley St end, found the same edge, and this time the ball went straight to Steve Smith at second slip.

Starc stuck to the same tactic to the left-handed Alick Athanaze and soon enough it paid dividends, another edge this time finding the safe gloves of Alex Carey.

Justin Greaves was out of the blocks with the sort of burst that would have made his fellow Bajan Obadele Thompson proud, cover driving Starc for four from his first ball.

But there was time enough before lunch for the left-armer to get his own back. The execution was familiar; a hint of movement off the pitch, an edge through to the cordon, and Khawaja taking his second catch, this one just centimetres from the grass. It was wicket number 350 for Starc, bringing him within a handful of equalling Dennis Lillee's one-time world record mark of 355.

It had been half an hour of carnage – a mid-innings collapse of 4-22 – and doubtless many at the Gabba were envisaging another two-and-a-bit day Test.

At which point the plot twist commenced.

Faced with a barrage of short balls, Da Silva ducked and weaved and occasionally pulled (at one point sending Cummins for four through midwicket, and following it up with a straight drive for four from his next ball) in a defiant performance that showed the sort of mettle the Windies batting had sorely lacked in the series opener.

Hodge was also forced to deal with more than his fair share of bumpers, hooking Starc for six early in his innings as the pair confidently pushed the score past 100.

As they settled into their stand, the two right-handers got some more opportunities to drive a softening pink ball and cashed in, adding 88 through the first wicket-less session of the series.

And the rearguard continued well into the final session as each batter went past fifty. Cummins tried his luck with no fewer than eight bowlers, but none could force a breakthrough, and when the partnership reached 139 with the score at 5-203, it became the highest against the unbeaten Australians in day-night Test cricket.

They added 10 more together when Da Silva was at last trapped lbw by Nathan Lyon. He referred the decision but it was upheld, ending a superb innings on 79.

Hodge was joined in the middle by Guyanese debutant Kevin Sinclair (16no), who has come into this side in place of fellow spinner Gudakesh Motie in the Windies' lone change from Adelaide.

The pair soon had to face up to the new pink ball under lights and a second breakthrough for Australia came when Starc claimed his fourth wicket, the speedster pitching up and swinging in only for Hodge (71) to nick to Smith at second slip.

Perhaps emboldened by their resistance, the Windies' eighth-wicket pair, Sinclair and Alzarri Joseph (32), continued throwing punches all the way to the close, with 48 runs coming from 9.4 overs with the second ball.

Hazlewood had the final say before stumps, forcing Joseph to nick through to Smith, who held a third catch, but the tourists could hold their heads high after going toe-to-toe with the Australians through an absorbing opening day.

NRMA Insurance Test series v West Indies

First Test: Australia won by 10 wickets

Second Test: January 25-29, Gabba (3pm AEDT)

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc

West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Alzarri Joseph (vc), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua Da Silva, Akeem Jordan, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, Zachary McCaskie

Men's Dettol ODI Series v West Indies

February 2: MCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 4: SCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 6: Manuka Oval, Canberra 2.30pm AEDT

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), Travis Head (vc), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Matt Short, Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa

West Indies ODI squad: Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.

Men's Dettol T20I Series v West Indies

February 9: Blundstone Arena, Hobart 7.00pm AEDT

February 11: Adelaide Oval, 7pm AEDT

February 13: Perth Stadium, 7pm AEDT

Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

West Indies T20I squad: Rovman Powell (c), Shai Hope, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas