When Shamar Joseph knocked over Josh Hazlewood with a corker of a delivery, his village people might have been thinking what would they eat for tomorrow's breakfast. We all love to hear fairytales, despite knowing this is all imaginary mumbles. But the world cricket witnessed a fairytale written by Shamar Joseph at the Gabba.
Joseph grew up in Baracara, a remote village by the Canje river in Guyana. It is only accesible by boat from the port city of New Amsterdam and it is only in 2018 that the village got access of internet. Like most of the people in the village, Joseph worked as a logger. On a sunny day, a tree almost fell on him and drove him to death. After the incident, he decided to move to the city for better employment. He travelled 121km by boat to New Amsterdam and started to work in a construction.
His luck turned towards him when he came to know about his neighbour, Romario Shepherd, an all-rounder who played over 60 matches for West Indies. Shepherd introduced Joseph to the Guyana Cricket team and head coach Esuan Crandon. Joseph's cricket experience growing up was watching the legendary deadly duo of Curtly Ambrose and Curtney Walsh. Imitating his heroes, he used to bowl with fruits such as lemons, limes, guavas and peaches along with tape ball. He was fast, furious and ferocious. He was then training with national players slowly but steadily and was gaining experience. Watching him bowl in New Amsterdam, Curtly Ambrose tapped his shoulders and wished to see Joseph play for Guyana next year.
All Joseph needed was a spark and he got that from his childhood hero. After the breakout season in first class, he got maiden call up for his national cricket team to the West Indies tour of Australia where they didn’t win a single test match since 1997. He was called up for a tour where they were written off before even facing a single delivery.
Joseph made his international debut at the Adelaide Oval, where they were thrashed by the mighty Aussies like their ancestors. Travis Head's blitzkrieg hundred thwarted West Indies and gave Australia 1-0 lead in the series. But one man rose to the occasion for West Indies, it was none other than the man Shamar Joseph. He ended up taking a fifer but Head was too brutal to handle.
Gabba had been Australia's fortress for ages before Rishabh Pant breached it. Australia's form was superior in the summer, winning against Pakistan 3-0 and also were on top against West Indies by 1-0. West Indies were marginalised for 64-5 at the Gabba. But a superb partnership between Kevin Sinclair and Joshua Da Silva bailed them out of trouble. Then they came out to bowl and did brilliantly to reduce Australia to 24-4 and even a remarkable recovery effort from Khawaja and Cummins couldn’t take Australia into the lead.
West Indies just managed to set a target 216 for Australia. And they were written off yet again for managing a paltry target for the brutal Aussie lineup. The lament from West Indies was even more when a toe crushing yorker from Mitchell Starc broke the toes of their ironman Shamar Joseph. It was almost sure he couldn’t bowl a single over with his broken toe.
Chasing the total, Australia were absolutely flying after a brilliant partnership between Steve Smith and Cameron Green, both were set for new roles respectively. But Shamar Joseph came as the deity for West Indies. Surprising everyone, he came to bowl wearing a painful injury. He got rid of Green and Head in consecutive deliveries by sending their stumps for a walk. It was just the door opening for West Indies, but there wasn’t much aid from other ends.
Shamar alone was obliterating the Aussie batting lineup. Picking up the wickets of Marsh, Carey and Cummins, he was running riot with no respect towards Australia and was absolutely breathing fire. Every delivery was like bullet being thrown from gun or like the thunderbolts of summer, catastrophic for any batting lineup. The Aussies seemed to be demoralised after the fall of Cummins. Starc came with a little cameo and was building a vital partnership with Smith. Shamar came with his fierce bowling yet again to remove Starc.
It was then left with Smith vs Joseph. A whodunit to the bowlers and a young tearaway. Smith was smacking alone and his unorthodox maneuvers might have given headache to Windies. Smith is well known for his Cricketing nous but he made one of the biggest blunders of his career by having the faith on Hazlewood that he might survive two deliveries of Shamar Joseph. Smith's conviction on Hazlewood turned the game towards West Indies. Shamar perhaps was mouth watering for a moment like this. A searing yorker uprooted the stumps of Hazlewood.
And commentators in the air went mad shouting - "Gone, got him. Shamar Joseph puts his country on his back and delivers the West Indies to one of the most famous test victories ever. "A real dream comes true for Shamar Joseph. There will be felicitations from Kingston to Guyana". Even the emotions were high. Brian Lara was crying in the comm box, while West Indies head coach was weeping like a kid - scenic. Only test Cricket can bring out the emotions from everyone.
This is exactly what it means by test Cricket. Showing your character, be lionhearted and win hearts all over the world, salvage the lost respect of your country, be part of the legacy, of the Cricketing folklore, breach a dynasty and get a standing ovation from your opponents.
Coming out with a broken toe and finishing with a match winning spell of 7-68, bludgeoning an invincible Aussie lineup in their own backyard, winning a test in Australia after 27 years, demonstrating a fast bowling masterclass - surely Shamar Joseph couldn’t ask for more. The question rises then - "What it takes to be Shamar Joseph?"
