By Leighton Levy- Australia’s Cameron Green acknowledged the mental and technical challenges of batting under lights at Sabina Park after his side was dismissed for 225 on the opening day of the historic pink-ball Test against the West Indies in Kingston.
Green, who scored with a resilient 46 from 108 balls, played a central role in guiding Australia to 138-3 at tea, but said the innings was a battle from the outset.
“Every pitch has been tough. It was a real grind,” Green said following play. “Usman batted well and never looked in. Steve Smith looked like he batted on a different pitch again. We worked hard. We’re very happy. We wanted to give them a tricky 45 minutes at the end and I thought they batted beautifully. To get them one down was a good result. See what happens tomorrow” (Sunday).
Green came to the crease with the score at 28-1 following the early loss of Sam Konstas and anchored the middle order alongside Smith, who made a fluent 48 off 66 balls. Their partnership of 61 was the highest of the innings, but Green’s dismissal—bowled by Jayden Seales with the second new ball just after tea—triggered a collapse that saw Australia lose 7 for 87.
The West Indies pace trio of Shamar Joseph (4-33), Seales (3-59), and Justin Greaves (3-56) applied consistent pressure on a pitch that offered just enough to keep batters guessing.
Despite the modest total, Green felt the late breakthrough—Mitchell Starc bowling Kevlon Anderson for 3 to leave West Indies at 16-1—was a crucial psychological blow for the Australians.
“To get them one down was a good result,” he said. “We know what the ball can do under lights, so it was about making those last overs count.”
The Test marks the first time a pink-ball match is being staged in Jamaica, and Green noted the difficulty of adjusting to unfamiliar conditions, particularly as the twilight period gave way to floodlit movement.
As the West Indies look to build a first-innings platform on Day 2, Australia will hope that the hard work done by Green and the bowlers at the close sets the tone for a disciplined fightback in what remains a tightly poised contest. (Sportsmax)
