ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: Australia took four wickets to leave the West Indies reeling on Friday in the day-night second Test after Travis Head crunched 175 and Marnus Labuschagne became the second-fastest man to 3,000 Test runs behind Donald Bradman.
At stumps in Adelaide on day two, the visitors were 102-4, still 409 runs behind after Australia declared their first innings at 511-7.
Opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul remained defiant on 47 alongside nightwatchman Anderson Phillip on one. Skipper Steve Smith’s declaration gave his bowlers just over a full session to inflict maximum damage with the pink ball under lights, which is usually the most treacherous time to bat in day-night Tests.
And they grabbed the opportunity as the home side look to sweep the two-Test series after winning in Perth by 164 runs.
Michael Neser, in the team for an injured Josh Hazlewood, bagged the key wicket of Perth century-maker Kraigg Brathwaite for 19, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey taking a regulation catch after the West Indies skipper got a feather-edge as he tried to defend.
Neser found movement and removed Shamarh Brooks for eight in a mirror dismissal. Nathan Lyon then held a caught-and-bowled to send Jermaine Blackwood packing for three, making the veteran spinner the most successful bowler ever at Adelaide Oval with 57 wickets, surpassing Shane Warne’s 56.
Cameron Green capped a good day for the hosts by bowling Devon Thomas for 19. Head earlier made a sparkling career-high 175 before a brain fade with Green deprived him of a maiden double century. Green nudged to fine leg and was pushing for two, but then sent Head back. He dived for the crease but fell just short.
It was a waste and even more so with Green out for nine soon after.
Alex Carey (41 not out) and Neser (18) consolidated ahead of the declaration 30 minutes before tea.
Labuschagne compiled 163, to go with his 204 and 104 not out in the first Test, before the West Indies made their first breakthrough of the day, with wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva holding a catch off Thomas’s bowling.
It snapped a 297-run stand between Head and Labuschagne and ended another stylish performance from the left-hander. In the process, he passed 3,000 Test runs in his 51st innings, matching West Indies great Everton Weekes as the second-quickest to the milestone.
But they were still considerably slower than Australian legend Bradman, who accomplished the feat in 33 innings. Australia resumed on 330-3 after dominating on Thursday.
Labuschagne began on 120 and Head 114, with an injury-hit West Indies again faced with a flat pitch offering little help. Alzarri Joseph extracted some early bounce, but the Australians were largely untroubled with Head impressive, pouncing on anything short or wide.
The West Indies bowling stocks were diminished with allrounder Kyle Mayers and pacemen Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales out injured.
Adding to their woes, replacement Marquino Mindley again failed to bowl, having limped off after just two overs on his debut Thursday.
Head was the first to reach 150, with a boundary off spinner Roston Chase, but Labuschagne was not far behind before being dismissed shortly before dinner. Head was out in the third over when they returned.
