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Shamar Joseph’s remarkable performance of 7-68 led to an exciting eight-run triumph for the West Indies in the pink-ball Test match at the Gabba, marking the end of a 27-year winless streak in Australia.
On the fourth day in cloudy Brisbane, the novice fast bowler turned the tide with his second five-wicket haul of the series, halting Australia’s 11-match winning run in day-night Tests.
He instigated a 4 for 23 downfall before Dinner from which the hosts could not recover, even with Steve Smith’s valiant 91*. As a result, the two-match series ended in a draw for the West Indies.
This was a stark contrast to the start of the day for the hosts and the overnight batsmen. Under overcast skies, Smith and Cameron Green displayed solid defence, successfully handling the challenging initial overs and almost making it through the first hour without losing a wicket.
However, the last two deliveries from Shamar before the drinks break dramatically altered the course of the game.
Who is Shamar Joseph?
Shamar Joseph, born on August 31, 1999, is a cricketer from Guyana who represents Guyana in first-class cricket and the West Indies in international cricket. He is a right-arm fast bowler. Joseph made his international debut for the West Indies cricket team in January 2024 against Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
In an impressive debut, he claimed Steve Smith’s wicket with his first ball in test cricket and ended up taking five wickets (5/94), marking the best test debut by any West Indian bowler in Australia. Before embarking on his professional cricket career, he worked as a security guard.
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Joseph hails from Baracara, a small community in East Berbice-Corentyne, Guyana, located about 225 km up the Canje River and two days by boat from the port city of New Amsterdam. Growing up, he had minimal access to internet facilities or telephone connections.
Baracara had only one black and white television and land-lines were the only mode of communication until the village received internet in 2018. Additionally, Baracara had a small health centre and a primary school, but no facilities for secondary education. The village reportedly has a population of around 350 people.
Joseph was raised in a family with three sisters and five brothers. He grew up admiring Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, the opening bowlers of the West Indies cricket team, and would watch their highlights and mimic them in his tape ball games around the village.
He began bowling with fruits like lemons, limes, guavas, and peaches along with a tape ball, a practice known as jungle-land cricket in Baracara. Currently, he is a neighbour of fellow West Indies cricketer Romario Shepherd.
What are Shamar Joseph's Test bowling numbers?
| Matches | Innings | Wickets | Average | Strike Rate | Economy | 5w | Best FIgures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 | 13 | 17.30 | 20.5 | 5.05 | 2 | 7/68 |
International career
Joseph’s cricketing journey is unique as he has limited experience in First Class cricket, yet he was chosen for the West Indies tour of Australia. His rapid rise to the top is attributed to Damion Vantull, a former Guyanese cricketer and Joseph’s godfather. Vantull spotted Joseph’s potential when he was just 14 and signed him for Georgetown in 2021.
In December 2023, Shamar Joseph was selected as one of the seven uncapped players in the West Indies test squad for their tour of Australia, which was part of the 2023–2025 ICC World Test Championship.
He made his test debut on January 17, 2024, at the Adelaide Oval in the first test of the two-match series against Australia. His impressive bowling spells at the Karen Rolton Oval against the Cricket Australia XI side earned him a spot in the first test match of the series.
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During his test debut, Joseph batted at number 11 in the first innings for the West Indies and scored 36 runs off 41 deliveries. He also formed a last wicket partnership of 55 runs with Kemar Roach, helping the West Indies reach a total of 188. This performance marked the highest individual score by a West Indian number 11 batsman on test debut.
On January 18, 2024, he achieved his first five-wicket haul in test cricket on his debut, becoming the tenth West Indian cricketer to do so. He also became the second bowler in test cricket history, after Nathan Lyon, to take a wicket with the first ball in his test career and to take five wickets on test debut in his maiden innings.
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