West Indies’ hopes of avoiding a 3-0 series result were boosted significantly on the second day in Sydney, where only 68 deliveries were bowled due to persistent rain.
James Pattinson
Further rain is expected on the third day and a draw now looms as the most likely outcome, with West Indies still batting in their first innings on 7 for 248 after Carlos Brathwaite completed an entertaining 69 during the short periods of play possible on day two.
It was a day of frustration for players, spectators and match officials. The start of play was delayed by 10 minutes after morning rain, and when Nathan Lyon was finally able to take the ball he sent down only three deliveries before the rain returned to the ground and the players to the dressing rooms. An 80-minute delay was followed by 3.3 overs of spin before further rain ended the session early.
The weather cleared enough for play to resume after lunch and the 7.2 overs that were then bowled at least provided the crowd with some entertainment as Brathwaite went after James Pattinson with the new ball. He brought up his half-century from exactly 50 balls with the first of two consecutive fours off Pattinson, and became the first West Indian since Darren Bravo in 2010 to score a fifty in each of his first two Tests.
Brathwaite upped the ante in Pattinson’s next over, lifting him over extra cover for six and two balls later clipping another six over square leg, with 15 runs coming from the over after Denesh Ramdin started it with a three. But Pattinson had his revenge in his third over of the day when he produced an excellent fullish outswinger that beat Brathwaite, who was bowled for 69 from 71 deliveries.
It was the end of an 87-run partnership between Brathwaite and Ramdin, who quietly moved along to 30 not out from his 103 balls. He had just struck two runs off Josh Hazlewood, whose previous three overs in the day had all been maidens, when the afternoon rain arrived and set in. Play was eventually abandoned for the day with Ramdin on 30 and Kemar Roach yet to score, West Indies having added 41 to their overnight total.
(Taken ESPN Sports Media Ltd.)