Hodge and Da Silva lead WI fightback in 2nd Test

BRISBANE: Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva put on 149 runs for the sixth wicket to lead a West Indies fightback against Australia on the first day of the second Test on Thursday as the visitors reached 266-8 at stumps.

Hodge and wicketkeeper Da Silva were together at the start of the second session with the West Indies in huge trouble at 64-5.

The pair dug in and batted for over a session and a half before Da Silva was finally dismissed for 79, trapped lbw by off-spinner Nathan Lyon with the score on 213.

Hodge, playing only his second Test, then fell to the second new ball 12 runs later when he edged Mitchell Starc (4-68) to Steve Smith at second slip for an impressive 71.

Debutant Kevin Sinclair was not out 16 at the close, with Alzarri Joseph dismissed for an entertaining 32 off 22 balls from the last ball of the day.

Hodge and Da Silva mixed resolute defence with some exciting shot-making throughout their partnership to give their side some hope after a disappointing start to the innings.

“It was a pretty crucial partnership between Hodgie and myself,” Da Silva said.

“I would have liked to have finished the day a bit better, maybe one of us getting a hundred, but it wasn´t to be.

“Nobody would have expected at 64-5 when I came in that we´d get 266, that´s 200-plus runs for three wickets for the rest of the day, so I´m pretty happy.”

Starc said when the pink ball started to go soft after the 11th over, bowling became much more difficult.

“We started nicely with the new ball but it started to do a lot less in the middle session and they (Da Silva and Hodge) applied themselves really well,” he said. “Then we got a couple of late wickets, so it was a really even day.”