Brisbane
\nA literal toe-crushing yorker from Mitchell Starc on day three put in doubt Shamar Joseph\u2019s participation in the rest of the second Test in Brisbane. In fact, he wasn\u2019t even going to be at the ground on the fourth day. But his doctor treated him and he ended up bowling a spell of a lifetime to seal a historic win at the Gabba.
\nJoseph, starting to bowl towards the end of the first hour of day four, took seven wickets in a spell that saw him bowl 11.5 overs on the trot with only the dinner break offering him some respite.
\n\u201cI wasn\u2019t even coming out to the ground this morning to be fair. I must give a shout-out to the doctor,\u201d Joseph told the broadcaster after the game. \u201cHe is an amazing doctor to me. He told me to come to the ground for a reason, even if it\u2019s just to support the guys.\u201d
\n\u201cBut I came and he did something to my toe. I don\u2019t know what he did but something worked. So I just had that time to go out there and bowl and bring this game home for my team.\u201d
\nWest Indies had to take eight wickets, while Australia were 156 runs away from their 216-run target. Once he came into the attack, Joseph\u2019s only plea to his captain Kraigg Brathwaite was to keep him going \u201ctill the last wicket falls\u201d.
\n\u201cIt was just [about being] positive. That\u2019s all. [My team-mates] said just go out there and do it – take wickets,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was just our positivity. I am not that tired because I wanted to do this for my team. I told my skipper I would bowl to the end until the last wicket falls.
\n\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter how my toes are, I\u2019m okay. I did it for him and I am happy that he is proud of me now.\u201d
\nThis was West Indies\u2019 first Test win in Australia since 1997, and the first against them since 2003, and the magnitude of the feat wasn\u2019t lost on the 24-year-old.
\n\u201cI feel like we won the series. Even though it\u2019s 1-1 I feel like we won the entire series,\u201d Joseph said. \u201cI feel really amazing for my team-mates. They are really encouraging and I am glad that I made them proud and bring the series to 1-1.
\n\u201cTears came to my eyes right now. I already cried during my five-wicket haul [in the first Test]. It\u2019s just happiness. That\u2019s the emotion I can bring out right now. Just happy that we won the Test.\u201d
\nBrathwaite was happy with the win, but now wants his team to continue putting in performances like this one.
\n\u201cWe won a Test match in Australia. It\u2019s amazing,\u201d he said at the presentation ceremony. \u201cIt does a lot [for West Indies cricket]. It means a lot. It\u2019s been a number of years since we\u2019ve won a Test match here.
\n\u201cBut my message to the group is that this is the beginning. It\u2019s amazing, we enjoy this, but I think this has to continue.\u201d
\nBrathwaite said some harsh words from former Australia fast bowler Rodney Hogg served as inspiration for West Indies in the day-night Test.
\n\u201cI must say we had two words that inspired us in this Test match. Mr. Rodney Hogg said that we were pathetic and hopeless. That was our inspiration,\u201d Brathwaite said. \u201cWe wanted to show the world we\u2019re not pathetic.
\n\u201cAnd I must ask him ask him, are these muscles big enough for him?\u201d Brathwaite asked, flexing his biceps.
\nBrathwaite only got to know an hour before the day\u2019s play started that he would have Joseph available to bowl. He hailed the fast bowler as a \u201csuperstar\u201d and credited him for leading by example.
\n\u201cThe doctor said he got an injection and he\u2019s quite good and then he [Joseph] told me he\u2019s going to do it. I had to back him.
\n\u201cHe\u2019s a superstar and I know he\u2019ll do great things for West Indies in the future. Just his belief… he told me today he\u2019s not putting [the ball] down till it\u2019s finished. That\u2019s the example for this team to follow.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Brisbane A literal toe-crushing yorker from Mitchell Starc on day three put in doubt Shamar Joseph\u2019s participation in the rest of the second Test in Brisbane. In fact, he wasn\u2019t even going to be at the ground on the fourth day. But his doctor treated him and he ended up bowling a spell of a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-383789","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n