Player ratings: How Australia’s Test stars fared in second Test victory against West Indies
Steve Smith: 7.5 Missed out in the first innings when he was caught hooking at fine leg for three. In the words of batting partner Cameron Green, it looked like Smith was playing on a different pitch in the second innings, as he made a match-winning 71. Played a number of gorgeous cover drives and got Australia into a strong position. No issues with his finger and managed to do what was necessary in the field. Australia’s Steve Smith plays a shot against West Indies on day three of the second cricket Test match in Grenada. Credit: AP Travis Head: 6 Made scores of 29 and 39 in Grenada. Remains such a dangerous figure in this Australian side at No.5 and is fearless when he comes in, often putting pressure back on the bowlers. If Head had missed out, Australia could have been in deep trouble. Also managed 1-3 from eight balls in the first innings, taking the wicket of Anderson Phillip with his very handy off-spinners. Is still the leading run-scorer in the series with 188 at 47.Beau Webster: 7.5 Chipped in with an important 60 in Australia’s first innings before running himself out trying to get back on strike with Nathan Lyon at the other end. Has had a seamless introduction to Test cricket and is making valuable contributions after a decade of hard graft in the Sheffield Shield. Picked up 1-17 off 10 overs in the first innings and was Australia’s most economical bowler. Removed Kraigg Brathwaite with the third ball he sent down in the second innings. Slight mark down for a dropped catch in the slips on day four but it was absolutely flying and in the end had no impact on the result. Could have won man of the match honours. Alex Carey: 7.5 Showed he is in excellent touch by backing up his second innings 65 in Barbados with scores of 63 and 30 here. A slight change in technique is working well. Quality glove work as always but would have liked fewer byes in the first innings (there were 10). Named man of the match.Pat Cummins: 7.5 Everything you’d expect from Cummins. Match figures of 3-72 in front of his father Peter watching in the stands in Grenada. The captain rarely has a bad game. Cummins has taken at least one wicket in each of his past 52 Tests. Only once in his career has he ever gone wicketless (in his first Test at the SCG against India in 2019). It’s also pretty easy to captain this side, which has such a tremendous fast bowling unit. His caught and bowled off Keacy Carty was one of the all-time greats, with Cummins revealing after he forgot to put a short leg in. Extra point for effort alone. Mitchell Starc: 7 In his 99th Test, the left-armer snared figures of 1-48 and 3-24. Always attacks the stumps and his consistency is something to marvel. Was a class above the inexperienced West Indian batsmen. Knows how to strike fear into a batsman worrying about a short delivery that hit them in the head. It’ll be a big week in Jamaica, with Starc set to become just the second Australian fast bowler to bring up a century of Tests. Nathan Lyon: 7.5
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