 Yeah, taking middle and left-stump guard on this Thursday edition of the Sportsman's Owners, we begin with Cricket an improved batting performance from the West Indies in the second test against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. The Caribbean side electing Tabat and finishing they won a 266 for eight. Here is Derrard Marseille with that recap. West Indies elected Tabat on a flat-looking surface at the Gabba in Brisbane, but there was very little intent shown by the opener. Greg Brathway, Tantasia Reishandepoel merely tried to survive, but the plan backfired with the captain nicking off to Josh Hazelwood for four. Jamaican Kirk McKenzie came and went on the counter-attack, striking three-fourths and a six in his 25-ball knock. But his loose drive gave Pat Cummins his only wicket of the day, the left-handed gone for 21, the West Indies two for 42. Wickets kept tumbling in the opening session, Tantasia Reishandepoel for 21, Alec Athene is falling again, this time going for eight, and Justin Graves for six, leaving the Caribbean side reeling at five for 64 at the dinner interval. But Kavim Hodge and Joshua De Silva were the saving grace for the Windies. The two put on a 149-run sixth wicket stand, a record for any team in 11 day-night tests against Australia. The peer batted through the tee at five for 145 before both brought up half centuries after the break. First, Hodge in only his second test. Oh, it goes down, there's a shout of catch, whether it carried. Nevertheless, it's 50 for Hodge, his first in-test cricket. He's part of a fine partnership alongside De Silva, trying to rescue the West Indies. What about it? And then De Silva. Scurries through, 100 partnership and 50 for Joshua De Silva. The fourth time he's reached the mark in test cricket and part of a valuable middle-order partnership to bring the West Indies back into the game. The Aussies had the final say though, De Silva fought a leg before Nathan Lyon for a top score of 79 before Mitchell Stark claimed his fourth wicket, removing Hodge for 71 with the squad 7 for 225. Azari Josef and debutant Kevin Sinclair frustrated the Aussies, adding 41 for the eighth wicket before Azari edge to slip. The Antigone dismissed for 32 of what turned out to be the final ball of the day. West Indies 8 for 266 at the close. All right, let's get the umpire in. Fazir Mohammed, he's moved from our captain to the man out in the middle. Faz, how are you doing today? Day one of this test match between the West Indies and Australia, 266 for eight at the close. How do you assess the day one performance from the Caribbean side? Well, it really was encouraging that partnership. I think that made all the difference because at 64 for five at lunch, you were thinking the West Indies would be all probably just over 100 if that many early into the afternoon. But that partnership, I think it showed just what the West Indies are capable of is the highest partnership ever against Australia in a day and night test match is the highest partnership of this Australian summer, which also involves free tests against Pakistan. So it says that there is some fighting ability, there's some quality, there's some character. And even at the end, Azari Joseph and Devutan Sinclair really just rub the Australian's noses in it. But again, it's important to put it in context. 266 for eight is encouraging. Yes, but we have to wait and see how many the West Indies finish up with and Australia's replied. Yeah, for sure. Let's have a look at some of the details of that 149 run partnership and specifically Joshua the Silver because he had gotten out hooking in the first test twice. And he said he had to make a conscious decision not to play that shot this time around. And of course, the Australians ensured that he had the opportunities to do so. How pleased were you to see that Joshua the Silver was able to make the adjustments and produce such an important innings for the West Indies? It was very pleasing to see because you don't want someone who was such a young person almost saying, well, this is my favorite shot. I'm going to go with it anyway. You have to recognize the circumstances, the situation in front of you. He knew he was being set up again. And you're almost drawn on his stumps trying to get out of the way of one of those short pitch deliveries because he was caught into mind because he seems to be almost a compulsive puller and hooker, but it was again commendable that he would be able to restrain himself that way for the sake of himself and the team. Yeah, and Kavim Hodge only a second test match. Of course, he was impressive in the warm-up match leading into this test series. Didn't get a lot of runs in the first test, but last night was an impressive innings, wasn't it? Very impressive. In fact, I was already getting ready to celebrate just the second Test 100 by a Dominican after Irvin Shilinford way back in 1979 against Pakistan, but it didn't happen. And having said all of that and the disappointment of that, you have to give him credit for the way he batted. Yes, he looked airy-fairy occasionally outside the off-stump, especially to Mitchell Stark, but these things happen. Let's not forget, going into this test match, everyone was talking about the Australian bowlers licking their lips to demolish the West Indies even more than they did in Adelaide. So credit to Kavim Hodge, as you said, just the second test match, the pit years, that is third test match, that's probably not going to be one of the six months. Yeah, love how you keep driving that point home, Faiz. Let's talk a little bit about the approach at the top of the order from Tejna Ryan-Chandepole and Craig Brathwaite, one in which they were merely looking to survive. What did you think of the approach? Was there a lack of positivity you think? It's easy for us to say that from more than half a will to be. It's easy for us to say everything, Faiz. That's true, but you're right. The fact is, they could not replicate what we saw 13 months ago when they had a century stand, a 64 run stand, then another 50 run stand in the start of the second test match. But again, we made that point and it bears repeating that in Australia, given the nature of the pitch, the quality of the bowling, you're not going to achieve much poking and prodding and trying to survive because sooner or later, the unplayable delivery will come along. So you've got to expand your repertoire. And I think this is really where Brathwaite and Chandepole, Chandepole, the much younger man, they need to up their game and recognize that occupying the crease for 40 minutes and scoring five, six, seven runs really doesn't do a whole lot to the team effort if you get out right after that. Yeah, it's interesting. When you look at the dismissals on day one of this test match, a number of the batsmen edging just poking outside the off-stamp, that good line, that good length, that causes some amount of indecision. You look at the decisions or the dismissals in isolation and you will probably say, well, they could have left that one. They should have left that one. From what you saw, though, is there some type of technical deficiency in the batsmen? Is it an issue of concentration and focus or is it just that this Australian bowling lineup is top notch and they are putting the balls in the right areas consistently enough and reaping the rewards? If it were a multiple-choice question you are asking, I would say all of the above, because essentially it's really all those points are valid. What is also valid is that if you've got players who are relatively new, who are relatively inexperienced and don't come up against that quality of bowling that often like a Hazelwood metronomically accurate honourable that off-stamp and all of the fast moals essentially doing the same thing, it's going to be difficult. It's easy for us again to say, well, you know, you should have left that alone. But in the heat of things, when you've got the mood with you, when as we saw that shot, that what Atheneus got out and subsequently as well, another slash that saw another wicket going down with Mackenzie, you would say on the face of it, look, those are poor shots and granted they are. But in the context of things with failure to run to be had, you can't allow the bowlers to get on top of you. You've got to find a way to score runs because you just can't simply survive just by blocking all day. It presents a dilemma. And therefore, if you've got players who are not really attuned to these sorts of conditions day in, day out in their domestic competition, it's bound to be a struggle. Yeah. And then, of course, quickly, I want a quick word on Kurt Mackenzie because only got 21 last night, but I rather like the look of him. He is positive when he gets to the crease and he clearly has a lot of shots. And I was listening to some of the discussion about maybe Kevin Hodge being put up to number three because the former players, the commentators suggesting that I would think not because I think Kurt Mackenzie plays that role. You need someone who's willing to dominate. Okay, didn't happen. It may not happen. But if he gets enough opportunity, if he gets enough of a chance at the highest level often enough and back in the regional competition in that role, he'll grow into because clearly he has the temperament. He has the wherewithal and just giving him the chance in that position, eventually, he's going to come good and hopefully come good on a consistent basis. Yeah, so unfortunate, of course, that Zahrajose fellow of what turned out to be the last ball of the day, 10 seconds files. How many do the West Indies get in this first innings? I would say maybe 285. I would like them to get up to 320, which would really be a psychological boost. But at the moment, I see it difficult to get up to 300. Yeah, who knows, we probably will have another Shamar Joseph show. Thanks very much for us. We'll chat again after day two tomorrow. Take care. All right, Fazir Mohamed, let's take a break. We'll be back with more on the Sportsmax Zone.