Smith and Green rise to the occasion as Australia pile pressure on West Indies

St George’s: It was as if Steve Smith and Cameron Green looked at each other on an overcast third morning of the second Test in Grenada and made a pact that enough was enough.

Australia’s top order has been the subject of enough scrutiny and ridicule on this West Indies tour that it was time for two players at very different stages of their career to rise to the occasion when it mattered most.

By stumps on Saturday (Sunday morning AEST) at Grenada’s National Cricket Stadium, Australia had rallied from 2-4 late on day two to 7-221, with a healthy 254-run lead, thanks to potentially match-defining contributions from Green (52) and Smith (71).

Their hard-fought partnership of 93 runs was the highest they’ve shared in Tests and surpassed their previous best of 81 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2022.

Smith, who was Australia’s lowest scorer in the first innings with three runs, seemed unperturbed by the finger injury that sidelined him in Bridgetown. He was hit on the same hand first ball of his innings but stuck to the task, scoring most of his eight boundaries through cover with impeccable timing to take his career average in the West Indies to 89.25.

Green, meanwhile, answered some doubts about his credentials at No.3 with a string of crisp cut shots, each one crashing to the boundary.

“I don’t think I ever really felt comfortable out there,” Green said after play. “He [Smith] was batting on a different wicket. He’s clearly a class above. To play the way he did was incredible.”

Smith and Green’s mature approach on day three was a welcome relief in the Australian dressing room where middle-order batsmen have found themselves racing to get the pads on during a tour of top-order collapses.

Since the World Test Championship final, Australia have been 4-67, 7-73, 3-22, 4-65, 3-50 and 3-28.

If Australia is to prosper in the Ashes, they need Green and Smith making big hundreds. When they get in, they are an intimidating pair to bowl at.

Green faced more deliveries in his latest innings (123) than he did in his previous five visits to the crease as Australia’s No.3.

At times, the Grenada pitch was as volatile as the Caribbean island’s weather, which halted play several times throughout the morning.

As a first option, getting forward was a non-negotiable on this pitch, given how many balls shot through at shin height.

West Indies wicketkeeper Shai Hope was given a thorough work over, unsure if his toes or teeth were in greater danger on a pitch that is tailor-made for Australia’s experienced and metronomic pace trio in the fourth innings of this match.

Green’s breakthrough knock of 174 not out at No.4 against New Zealand last year showed he had the temperament and technique to make it as a top-order batsman, having hovered in the middle order.

However, it had been a lean run since then, either side of a serious back injury. As Australia’s No.3 or No.4, Green followed up that big hundred with modest scores of 25, 5, 4, 0, 3, 15 and 26.

Australia’s best young batting talent since Ricky Ponting, according to Greg Chappell, is too good a player to miss out again and again.

Green is a nervous starter, always eager to get bat on and ball with a tendency to play away from his body at times.

But Green’s strength lies in playing with the full face of the bat, and it was a beautiful straight drive to bring up his seventh Test half-century that had all the hallmarks of a young Ponting.

Next ball, disaster struck, as Green chopped a Shamar Joseph delivery back onto his stumps.

Usually level-headed, Green couldn’t hide his frustration, storming off the field with words muttered under his breath. He knew a third Test century was there for the taking but was pleased to be back in the runs.

“It [the move to No.3] has actually felt really normal,” Green said. “I’ve batted at No.4 for WA and being one spot up is no different.

“Hopefully my output can be a little bit better than it has been, but today was a nice sign things are hopefully trending well.”

Travis Head’s blistering cover drive off the first delivery he faced sent a sharp reminder to the West Indies that the job was far from done.

It could have been worse for the home side, who sent a scare through the Australian camp by removing Smith and Beau Webster (two) in the space of two overs.

Smith was trapped in front by Justin Greaves, 29 runs shy of a 37th Test hundred, while Webster’s stellar start to Test cricket hit a speed bump when he edged the same bowler to third slip.

Head (39) and Carey (26 not out) offered reliable contributions once again as Seales, Shamar Joseph and Greaves all snared two wickets apiece.

From four Tests in Grenada, the highest successful fourth innings run chase is Bangladesh’s 6-217 against the West Indies in 2009.

One more productive day and the series will be Australia’s with one to play in Jamaica.

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