West Indies veteran fast bowler Kemar Roach is predicting big things for the new guy on the team, 24-year-old fellow paceman Shamar Joseph. (More Cricket News)
Ahead of the second Test -- a day-night match -- that begins Thursday at the Gabba in Brisbane, the 35-year-old Roach has 267 Test wickets, placing him fifth on the all-time list for the West Indies.
In 2009, on his first Test tour, Roach shattered Ricky Ponting's elbow with a blazing bouncer that forced Ponting to retire hurt from the match.
Joseph took 5-94 on debut in the first Test in Adelaide last week, including the wicket of Steve Smith with his first delivery. Australia won the first Test by 10 wickets in 2 1-2 days.
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"The best advice I can give him is to build his own legacy and understand what you want from cricket," Roach said of Joseph.
"That's up to him to determine... if it's monetary, or if it's just stats and statistics or whatever. There's gonna be a lot of distractions and he's a hot commodity right now."
"The (Twenty20) franchises are a big distraction but guys still want to relish red-ball cricket. Test cricket is still in the hearts of West Indian cricketers at home. It's just about us to provide support around it."
ALSO READ: Shamar Joseph Makes Sensational Debut
Roach says the early signs from Joseph were all positive.
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"He is a very confident young man and has shared a lot of information with me. We have a lot of conversations," Roach said.
"He has a good energy I love. I am happy to be around him and to be a part of his career at the start of it. Let's see how long and how good he can be at the end of it. He is destined to be good if he puts the work in."
Meanwhile, Australia opener Usman Khawaja has been passed fit by Cricket Australia's medical team to play in Brisbane. And Travis Head is likely to play despite a recent positive COVID-19 test.
Khawaja was struck in the head by a West Indies bouncer during Friday's short-run chase in Adelaide.
The 37-year-old completed concussion assessments earlier this week and has been approved to partner Steve Smith in Khawaja's home Gabba test.
"Khawaja was assessed again today and has no symptoms of delayed concussion," a Cricket Australia spokesperson said.
After a match-winning century in Adelaide, Head subsequently contracted COVID-19 but Australia captain Pat Cummins said the 30-year-old was progressing well in his recovery.
Head flew to Brisbane on Tuesday but decided to rest in the team hotel rather than join the Australian team for its late afternoon training session at the Gabba.
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On Wednesday, Cricket Australia said allrounder Cameron Green and coach Andrew McDonald were the latest members of the squad to test positive for COVID-19.
Green and McDonald were separated from other team members until they returned a negative test. In line with Cricket Australia protocols, Green and McDonald will be able to take their place in the test even if they do not return negative results in the next 24 hours.
