The opening day of the first Test between the West Indies and Australia at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, witnessed a dramatic turnaround, with West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph leading a fiery bowling attack that dismantled the Australian batting lineup. This performance is being viewed by many Windies fans as an avenging of sorts, especially considering past criticisms and perceived slights from Australian cricket greats.

Australia, after winning the toss and electing to bat, were bundled out for a paltry 180. Joseph, who had previously troubled the Aussies in Brisbane, picked up 4 wickets for 46 runs. He consistently challenged the batsmen with pace and accuracy. Jayden Seales also contributed significantly, taking 5 wickets for 60 runs and cleaning up the tail. Seales's fiery send-off to Australian captain Pat Cummins is likely to be reviewed by the ICC.

The West Indies' bowling performance was particularly satisfying for fans who felt that their team had been on the receiving end of insults and disrespect from some Australian legends in the past. While there's no specific recent incident cited, the historical context of West Indies cricket dominance and its subsequent decline has often been a topic of discussion, sometimes laced with condescension. Joseph and Seales's performance was a statement that West Indies pace bowling is far from dead.

Joseph's victims included Sam Konstas, who was making his return to the Test arena, and Cameron Green. Seales accounted for Josh Inglis, while Joseph later added the crucial wicket of Usman Khawaja, who top-scored with 47. Travis Head resisted with a typically aggressive 59, but he found little support as the Australian innings folded inside 57 overs.

However, the West Indies' joy was short-lived as the Australian pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood struck back, reducing the hosts to 57 for 4 at stumps. Starc removed both openers, Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell, while Cummins and Hazlewood chipped in with a wicket each. Debutant Brandon King remained unbeaten on 23, alongside new captain Roston Chase.

Despite the shaky start to their innings, the West Indies will look to build a substantial lead on the second day. The pitch conditions are tricky, favoring seam and swing, making batting difficult. A good partnership could put the West Indies in a strong position. Australia, on the other hand, will aim to exploit the conditions and restrict the West Indies' lead.

The match is evenly poised, with both teams having had their moments. The West Indies' pace attack has shown promise, but their batting needs to step up. Australia's experienced bowlers have demonstrated their quality, but their batsmen need to find a way to score runs on a challenging surface. The remaining days promise more exciting cricket as both teams fight for the upper hand in this Frank Worrell Trophy series opener.