Twitter Reactions: Hodge, Da Silva help West Indies fight in Brisbane

After a comprehensive 10-wicket win in the first Test in Adelaide, Australia were in red-hot form in the first session of the second Test in Brisbane on Day 1. However, the West Indies fought back commendably in the next two sessions.

Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and decided to bat first. He got off to a watchful start alongside Tagenarine Chanderpaul, as the opening duo added just nine runs inside the first eight overs. After the skipper was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood for four, Kirk McKenzie came out and showed some positive intent. The left-handed batter hit three fours and a six before being dismissed by Pat Cummins for 21 off 25. Chanderpaul also departed soon after, as the tourists were staring down the barrel.

However, this wasn’t the end of their woes. Alick Athanaze and Justin Greaves were also knocked over, as the West Indies slumped to 64/5 inside the first session. They were in desperate need of a partnership of substance, and Joshua Da Silva and Kavem Hodge provided them with just that. They added 149 runs for the sixth wicket and resurrected the West Indies innings. Da Silva was eventually dismissed for 79 as Nathan Lyon provided the breakthrough.

Mitchell Starc dismissed Hodge for 71 to reduce West Indies were reduced to 225/7. Alzarri Joseph and Kevin Sinclair joined forces to form a 41-run partnership off 32 balls. The former was the wrecker-in-chief in the partnership, as he scored an enterprising 22-ball 32. Hazlewood ended Joseph’s knock in the final over of the day, as the away team finished on 266/8.

For Australia, Starc was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with figures of 4/68 in his 20 overs while Hazlewood bagged a couple of wickets. Cummins and Lyon chipped in with one wicket apiece. The West Indies would love to get to the 300-run mark but it won’t be easy for the likes of Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph, and Sinclair to add another 34 runs against the lethal Aussie bowling attack.

Here’s how ‘X’ users reacted to play on Day 1: