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The third Test between Australia and West Indies at Sabina Park, Kingston, delivered a day of high drama, searing pace, and emotional flashpoints. While Australia’s bowlers dominated and West Indies crumbled, it was a heated exchange between Australian skipper Pat Cummins and umpire Nitin Menon that stole the spotlight on Day 2. The incident, coupled with a flurry of wickets, left the match teetering on a knife’s edge, with Australia holding a commanding lead but not without their own batting scars.
Pat Cummins’ fiery confrontation with Nitin Menon on Day 2 of the Pink ball Test
The pivotal moment arrived in the 24th over of West Indies’ first innings. With the hosts at 2-52, John Campbell nudged a Mitchell Starc delivery to mid-on and set off for a risky single. Cummins, ever alert, swooped and fired a direct hit at the non-striker’s end. The Australians believed Campbell was short, but crucially, no formal appeal was made. Umpire Nitin Menon, following protocol, did not refer the decision upstairs.
Cummins, visibly agitated, confronted Menon in a tense exchange that was broadcast to viewers. “Why wouldn’t you just check?” Cummins demanded, his frustration echoing the pressure of a Test match in the balance. The conversation, lasting nearly a minute, highlighted the fine margins and emotional toll of elite cricket. Ultimately, Campbell survived that moment, but his reprieve was brief—he was trapped lbw for 36 by Scott Boland just ten overs later, having top-scored in a faltering West Indies innings.
Here are the visuals:
Australia tighten their grip over West Indies in the third Test
West Indies’ innings unraveled spectacularly after the confrontation. From 2-52, they lost their last eight wickets for just 85 runs, folding for a paltry 143 in 52.1 overs. Only Campbell (36) and Shai Hope (23) managed to cross 20, as Australia’s all-pace attack—led by Boland (3-34), Cummins (2-24), and Hazlewood (2-32)—exploited the conditions with relentless discipline. The hosts’ shot selection and composure deserted them, typified by Mikyle Louis’ wild swipe that left his stumps shattered and former keeper Brad Haddin labeling it an “absolute brain explosion”.
Australia’s reply, however, was far from assured. Under the Kingston floodlights, the visitors stumbled to 99/6 by stumps, their lead at 181 runs but their top order again exposed by the West Indies quicks. Cameron Green’s unbeaten 42 was a beacon of resistance, while wickets tumbled around him, with Alzarri Joseph (3-19) and Shamar Joseph (2-26) breathing life into the contest.
Also WATCH: Shamar Joseph bowls a beauty to dismiss Beau Webster in WI vs AUS 3rd Test
