Brathwaite cameo a bright spot in Sydney washout

Rain delayed the start of the third day of the third Test between Australia and the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

The third day’s play was abandoned without a ball being bowled as rain did not allow a single ball to be bowled.

West Indies remained on 248-7 in its first innings, with Denesh Ramdin unbeaten on 30 and Kemar Roach yet to score.

However, Carlos Brathwaite and Ramdin put on 48 in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand, to stall Australia’s progress. “Nathan Lyon is our number one spinner, I think everyone knows that, and he’s got an opportunity now to become the second spinner”.

Speaking to ABC Grandstand earlier this morning, Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland admitted that another day-night Test is on the agenda for one of the three-Test series in 2016/17, but acknowledged it is yet to be decided where or when it will occur. Brathwaite was deceived by Lyon’s extra bounce and attempted to steer the ball past slip.

“I was upset that once again I got a start and couldn’t carry on”.

After an early lunch, they managed a more prolonged spell in the afternoon, and Brathwaite got into his rhythm to get the scoreboard moving, in the process becoming the first West Indian since Darren Bravo in 2010 to score fifties in each of his first two Tests.

“He’s a quality bowler”, said Lyon.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite stroked an enterprising half-century but West Indies’ batting wobbled to give Australia the advantage on the opening day of the final cricket Test here yesterday.

Left-arm orthodox spinner O’Keefe (1-42) then pitched in to have West Indies captain Jason Holder caught superbly at short leg by Joe Burns and claim his first test wicket on Australian soil.

Yet, after two big defeats in the series so far, Simmons believes that for the Caribbean team to progress in Tests, they will need all their best players from the three formats of the game.

Upon resumption Jermaine Blackwood misjudged Lyon’s turn and was bowled off-stump for 10 after not offering a shot.

The 23-year-old has shown some glimpses of his potential with the willow this series, holding together his team’s second innings with 94 during the first Test in Hobart.

Meanwhile, Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh reiterated that his side will still be looking to push hard for a win if the weather gets kind.