Bowlers dominate in Barbados as 14 wickets fall on Day 1 for just 237

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Australia 180
West Indies 57-4 (20 overs)

Shamar Joseph was the outstanding performer on Day 1 of the first test in Barbados. The Guyanese quickie roared through the Australian top order, ending the day with figures of 4-46.

Jayden Seales was the beneficiary of some unwise batting choices for his five wickets mostly at the tail, and those dismissals kept the Australians on the backfoot for most of the day, bar an 89 partnership between Travis Head (59) and opener Usman Khawaja (47).

Australia won the toss and elected to bat, and that seemed like a good call under a fairly cloudless sky and an uncontroversial wicket.

However that all fell to pieces in the first hour as three wickets tumbled for 22 and the Aussie top order was reeling.

Khawaja plodded his way to 47 while Head tried to stabilise his natural instincts with an overall read of the match situation, which really demanded a ground out 30 rather than a chance-ridden swashbuckling 40.

However on 111, Khawaja wafted at Shamar Joseph and Shai Hope grabbbed the second of his four catches. The last six wickets brough just 59 runs, of which Pat Cummins scored 28. In all honesty, some of the batting was dismal. Josh Inglis waft was beyond the discipline that was necessary at 22-2. Khawaja who had been patient for so long lost concentration and surrendered to a ball that should not have got someone out on 47.

However, the home side also struggled with the bat.

Mitchell Starc, Cummins and Josh Hazlewood all picked up scalps before close with only Brandon King (23*) resisting.

If the pirch has as much life tomorrow morning as it did at the end, Australia may be batting again in the afternoon. Whether they have a lead or not, probably depends on that too.

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