Jerome Taylor takes five-for in Kingston, lifts West Indies

His control and intent have brought rewards

Jerome Taylor, the standout bowler for West Indies so far in the second Test against Australia in Kingston, has clinched five wickets out of the six that have fallen for Australia so far. This is his fourth five-for in 40 matches. He has bowled with control through the game so far, and even without the swing that he got on the first morning, he has been able to snatch a couple of early wickets.

He had taken three of the four wickets to fall on the first day, beginning with the removal of David Warner off the first over of the match. Warner didn’t anticipate the bounce, as the ball jumped off a length to take the shoulder of his bat and carry to the slips cordon. He followed this up with the wicket of Shaun Marsh, who was struck on the pads via a curvy inswinging delivery.

After a period of letting up of the early pressure, West Indies were boosted by Taylor’s scalp of Adam Voges, the centurion and Australia’s saviour of the previous Test.

The second morning saw him running in with the same intent and menace. But the ball wasn’t swinging. Shane Watson, one of the not-out batsmen from last evening, shouldered arms to let a tight ball go through to the wicketkeeper but instead of the anticipated swing, the ball went straight to hit the top of off stump. The 99th over, the ninth of the day, he had his five-for, this time with swing, which undoes Brad Haddin’s defence, hitting the wickets.

West Indies are being held in the contest single-handedly by Taylor.

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