Brathwaite fireworks light up rainy Sydney Test

Australia spinner Nathan Lyon has praised his link-up with wicketkeeper Peter Nevill and captain Steven Smith after an impressive showing on day one of the third and final Test against West Indies.

At stumps, Denesh Ramdin was not out 23 with Carlos Brathwaite on 35.

Shai Hope was caught behind wicket after scoring 9 runs off 17 balls.

However, Carlos Brathwaite and Ramdin put on 48 in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand, to stall Australia’s progress. “There are a couple of situations we have bowled the majority of the overs and enjoyed going each side of the bat”.

Australia were soon in the ascendancy when Hope edged Josh Hazlewood behind in the fifth over with the score on 13.

Emerging from a watchful start, Brathwaite blossomed to stroke ten fours in an innings lasting 174 balls, while Bravo showed glimpses of his good form in a 95-ball innings which contained six fours.

But Pattinson had the last laugh, bowling the hulking all-rounder in his next over.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite led the way with 85.

“He’s a quality bowler”, said Lyon.

“We are basically down to one spinner with Bishoo being unavailable for this Test match”.

Weather permitting the Windies will start day four on Wednesday at 7-248 in the 87th over.

And it got worse for West Indies seven overs later as embattled batsman Marlon Samuels was run out for four in embarrassing fashion. Brathwaite, however, caused confusion as he slipped in the middle of the pitch, dropped his bat and scrambled back toward the non-strikers end, leaving Samuels stranded mid-pitch.

Earlier, the off-spinner had dismissed Jermaine Blackwood for 10 with a gem, the ball turning and bouncing after it pitched outside off stump, the No. 5 clean bowled after shouldering arms.

Kraigg brought the first boundary of the game in the seventh over while Darren Bravo (33) struck back to back boundaries in the 11th over off James Pattinson (1-41).West Indies reached the 50-run mark in the 19th over.

Team officials said an injury to the 30-year-old Guyanan’s left rotator cuff he sustained before the second test in Melbourne would prevent him playing on a track that Australia expect to provide plenty of turn for their spinners Nathan Lyon and Stephen O’Keefe.

Speaking with Nine’s Yvonne Sampson, the lively group played the tune so familiar to the channel’s cricket broadcast, before calling for the second day of the Sydney Test to become the official Richie Benaud day.