Seales' Late Wickets Revive West Indies Hopes After Australia's Day 2 Edge in Second Test

Jayden Seales, the young and promising West Indies fast bowler, delivered a crucial performance late on Day 2 of the second Test match against Australia, injecting fresh hope into his team's chances. His early strikes against the Australian top order provided a much-needed response after the visitors had largely controlled the day's play.

Jayden Seales picks up 2 wickets late on Day 2. (AP Photo)

Australia, led by Pat Cummins, had earlier dismissed the West Indies for just 253 runs, trailing their first innings score of 286. The West Indies innings, played on a lively Grenada pitch favoring fast bowlers, spanned almost an entire day.

However, Seales's spirited bowling display shifted the momentum, giving the home side a fighting chance.

Windies Struggle, King Shines

The West Indies innings got off to a disastrous start. Kraigg Brathwaite was dismissed for a duck in his 100th Test, caught and bowled by Josh Hazlewood in the very first over. Keacy Carty soon followed, falling to Cummins for 6, and John Campbell squandered a promising start of 40, caught at mid-on off Beau Webster.

It took a maiden Test half-century from Brandon King and valuable contributions from the tailenders to salvage the innings.

After lunch, the West Indies found themselves at 174-7, still trailing by over 100 runs. However, the lower-order batsmen – particularly Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph – displayed resilience, frustrating the Australian bowlers for 25 overs.

King's Counterattack

King and captain Roston Chase had earlier rebuilt the innings from a precarious 64-3 to a more stable 110-3 by Lunch. Chase was dismissed shortly after lunch, trapped leg before wicket by Hazlewood for 16.

King then launched a counterattack, hitting Hazlewood for a six over square leg. His seventh boundary brought up his fifty off 77 balls – his first in only his second Test match and the first half-century of the series for the West Indies. King continued his aggressive approach, hitting Nathan Lyon for two more sixes, forging a promising partnership with Shai Hope.

However, Cummins broke the 58-run stand by bowling Hope for 21, and King departed in the following over, edging Lyon behind. King's innings of 75 off 108 balls included eight boundaries and three sixes.

The fall of Justin Greaves soon after pushed the West Indies to 174-7.

The Josephs then combined to add 51 runs together, with Alzarri scoring 27 and Shamar 29. The final pair, Anderson Phillip and Seales, offered further resistance, adding 16 runs and occupying the crease for nearly 11 overs.

All six Australian bowlers claimed wickets, with Lyon leading the attack with 3-75.

Seales Strikes Back

The Australian top order has been under scrutiny, and young seamer Jayden Seales exploited their vulnerabilities, removing both openers to reduce Australia's second innings to 12-2.

Seales bowled Sam Konstas for a duck in the first over and almost dismissed Cameron Green on the next ball. Seales then trapped Usman Khawaja leg before wicket for 2, with the review confirming the ball would have hit middle stump.

Nathan Lyon was sent in as nightwatchman, and he and Green managed to survive until the close of play.