The Bowler Shamar Joseph dismissed Steve Smith in the first ball of his first debut during the first test match at Australia.
Shamar Joseph on his first ball wicket in Test debut
Shamar Joseph was given his test debut during the West Indies tour of Australia 2024 where he dismissed the Australian opener Steven Smith at Adelaide Oval.
He was set to bowl during the 8th over of Australia’s innings where he dismissed the opener for 12 runs. Smith seemed to be comfortable after opening for the side where he smashed two boundaries.
While Shamar got to bowl his first over, he delivered a 137 kph good length which edged and flew to another debutant Justin Greaves who took a catch at the slip.
During the fifteenth over, he dismissed Marnus Labuschagne for 10 runs and bagged his second test wicket during his debut match.
He was excited about the performance saying, “Getting Steve Smith, I’ll remember this for the rest of my life,” said Joseph after the first day’s play. “I’ll actually take a picture, and post it up in my house.”
He also predicted that he would take a wicket on his first ball. “I didn’t know it was Steve Smith,” he said.
“That went well for me. I went with a positive mindset. You’re coming up against the best team in Test cricket. So I just come with a positive mindset and do what I do best.”
“I didn’t miss my run-up; I was just nervous,” Shamar Joseph said of his initial run-up. “So I just went and built in my mind to get the first ball right – just on top of off stump.”
“I [had] watched back a few Test matches of Steve Smith, and I think that is an area of weakness for him. So I just say that I will just hit the top of off because he’s a batter that triggers across a lot; he tries to take you off of your line.”
“So I just stuck to the basic, hit just on top of off, getting a little movement away, and got the edge.”
“If I could have run over [the stands], I would have,” Shamar Joseph said. “It was really a joy for me.”
Shamar Joseph sharpened his skills and increased the speed to 141 kph when he delivered a bouncer to Labuschagne. While asked about dismissing Labuschagne was good as his first test wicket he said, “No, not at all,” Shamar Joseph said. “Getting Steve Smith is always the biggest dream.”
“I want to do so much for Baracara. It might not happen when I want it to. But I know in the future I will go up there and do a lot for them because they always support me.”
“I needed it, but it’s just [that] they didn’t hit me on my hand; I got hit on my head [instead],” Shamar Joseph said.
“That was amazing for me,” he said. “Hitting Josh for a six is really good for me. I think he’s really consistent. He’s the most consistent bowler I have ever faced so far in my career. So hitting him for a six motivated me a lot. I think I could hit any bowler now.”
Shamar spoke about his young age at Baracara where he did not sleep having watched him through the night. He would be an example for rising youngsters who growing up in a place which is far away from the modern world.
“It wasn’t financially stable, but you never miss a meal a day because you go fishing, [and] you plant your greens,” Shamar Joseph said. “So starvation wasn’t on our list.”
“But you have to work to maintain yourself and your family. So growing up in Baracara, it’s a beautiful place. You will never suffer in Baracara because there’s always an easy life to make up there.
“I know the support up there is really lovely and amazing for me. I could actually feel it from here. I want to do so much for Baracara. It might not happen when I want it to.”
“But I know in the future I will go up there and do a lot for them because they always support me. People support you a lot, and encourage you to keep going, [and] to do what you love. And those words of encouragement is amazing for me and my career moving forward,” he concluded.
West Indies completed their innings after scoring 188 runs. Australia completed the first day after scoring 59 runs losing two wickets by the end of Day 1 at Adelaide Oval.
