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Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva pulled West Indies out of the mire after Mitchell Starc blew away their top order in a spell where he claimed his 350th Test match wicket on a day of momentum shifts at the Gabba.

West Indies threatened to waste a golden opportunity after winning the toss on a good batting pitch when they lost 5-64 in the opening session with Starc claiming three and Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins picking up one apiece.

Unlike in Adelaide, where prodigious sideways movement caused trouble, West Indies’ top order failed to adjust to the extra bounce with five of the top six nicking deliveries they possibly could have left.

Joshua Da Silva batted well for his 79 (Photo: Getty Images)

But Hodge and Da Silva adjusted after the first dinner interval and were immovable for nearly 52 overs through the twilight and evening sessions. Hodge made his highest Test score of 71 off 194 balls in just his second Test match, while Da Silva made an excellent 79.

Their partnership of 149 is the highest-ever against Australia in 11 day-night Tests, and it was the second-highest stand by any duo across five Tests on sporting pitches in Australia this summer.

Both men were resolute with their defence and made excellent decisions outside their off stump as the pink ball softened and the pitch flattened out. Da Silva was tested with the short ball, having been out hooking twice in Adelaide, but was judicious and controlled.

Hodge played Nathan Lyon impressively and was compact against the quicks. Any time Australia’s bowlers overpitched they capitalised with controlled drives through cover and down the ground. Hodge also pulled Starc for six over fine leg. Cummins cycled through seven bowlers in the second session, including Marnus Labuschagne, but could not break the duo.

Kavem Hodge made a fifty in just his second Test (Photo: Getty Images)

The pair reached their half-centuries after tea, Hodge doing so for the first time in Test cricket while it was Da Silva’s fourth to go with his lone Test century. Hodge then enjoyed some luck as he nicked Cummins at a catchable height through second slip but there was only one slip in place.

He then edged Starc to Cameron Green’s left in the gully and he got a hand to it at full stretch but it didn’t stick. No other gully fielder in the world would have touched it.

Da Silva’s concentration finally broke three overs before the new ball with Lyon pinning him lbw from around the wicket. Hodge was undone by the new ball. Starc returned to deliver an inswinging pink comet under lights at 139kph only for it to straighten off the seam.

Hodge closed the face trying to work through the leg side and the edge flew to the safe hands of Steven Smith at second slip. He got warm applause from the Gabba crowd as he departed.

Guyana off-spinning all-rounder Kevin Sinclair faced one of the tougher tasks on Test debut facing Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins with a brand-new pink ball under lights.

But after receiving his debut Test cap before play from former West Indies and Guyana all-rounder Carl Hooper, he showed some of Hooper’s class to finish unbeaten on 16.

Sinclair and Alzarri Joseph added 41 in 32 balls to frustrate Australia with thick edges interspersed with some wonderful drives. An edge finally went to hand in the final over of the night with Hazlewood claiming Joseph for 32 off 22. (ESPNcricinfo)

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)’s Quality Improvement Manager Erwinetta Austin-Grant. (Photo: News Room/January 24, 2024)

The Quality Improvement Manager said this area focuses on ensuring that the services provided are improved where needed.

“For us to improve on our quality we need to hear from the persons we are giving it to.

“A lot of times we think ‘it’s a hospital, what can the customers say to make things better?’ And trust me, we will have a lot of systematic changes arise from customers’ feedback and that’s how it ties in,” the Quality Improvement Manager said.

As the Quality Improvement Manager, she works with the doctors, the board of directors, the nursing staff and all other divisions at the hospital to ensure that systems are improved when complaints or grievances are made.

Austin-Grant explained that complaints are major reports that need to be investigated and are often the more serious matters. The grievances are minor issues that can be resolved within the department. She said there have been instances where disciplinary action had to be taken and the hospital is not opposed to this because its goal is to provide a service that meets international standards.

“All of our complaints for last year were resolved, we have the official complaints which was 26.

“Some varying from minor issues to major issues which led to disciplinary actions with healthcare workers. We resolved all, we meet with them and ask how we can improve the services, a lot had to do with professionalism and people not fully understanding what was to be expected of the system, there was a breakdown of the communication processes,” Austin-Grant said.

Austin-Grant also said the hospital continues its efforts to improve services through the numerous training and partnerships that the staff undergoes.

Last week a section of the hospital was redesigned as a waiting area for persons. These are all efforts to promote a comfortable atmosphere for the patients and visitors.

To contact a hospital representative persons can call 226-6249, 227-8210 or 227-8245 (ext. 1148) or WhatsApp 701-4742 or send an email to help@gphc.gov.gy.

www.LibertySportsClub.org.

Follow the Team’s social media accounts at www.facebook.com/libertysportsc, www.instagram.com/libertysportsc, and www.tiktok.com/libertysportsclub for live scoring links as the matches are played and general updates.

$4.6 Billion in the 2024 National budget.

This allocation, with an emphasis on infrastructure development throughout the length and breadth of Guyana, will see Guyana setting itself apart from the rest of the region on and off the competitive field of play.

It will also allow our athletes to compete at home against regional and internationally acclaimed athletes as we position the country to host many international competitions and tournaments given the quality of our facilities.

Another exciting and commendable feature of this year’s budget is the announcement of the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) and duties on the importation of sports equipment.

This will allow associations and federations to do more to outfit and equip athletes, an important component for our development, performance and setting a high standard.

While the sport of Powerlifting is not a core sport, we applaud the government and by extension, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission for their continued investment in our athletes which has resulted in noticeable improvements.

We have benefitted from significant financial support from the Ministry and the Sports Commission which enabled our athletes to participate and medal at three World Championships in 2023 as well as the FESUPO South American Championships.

We look forward to building an even stronger partnership with the Ministry and Sports Commission in 2024 for our athletes’ continued development.

Mitchell Marsh is firming as Australia’s likely captain for the T20 World Cup after being named to take the reins for a three-match T20I series against West Indies.

David Warner, Tim David and Marcus Stoinis have all been included and will need to return home from their franchise duties early, while Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Steven Smith have been rested with Cricket Australia stating that all three will likely be included in the squad for the T20I series in New Zealand in late February.

The selectors are yet to confirm who will be Australia’s permanent T20I captain having not made a formal decision after Aaron Finch retired following the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Australia have only played two T20I series since then with Marsh leading an inexperienced team to a 3-0 triumph in South Africa before Matthew Wade took charge of a depleted team in India after the ODI World Cup triumph.

Marsh will captain on home soil for the first time and will have a very strong squad to work with. Smith will rest from the T20I series after captaining the ODI team in the three-match series against West Indies in the week before the T20Is but has stated that he expects to be in the squad for the New Zealand T20I series.

“I want to be a part of it, as anyone would, I suppose,” Smith said on Wednesday. “I’ve had a few opportunities to open and obviously did it well in the Big Bash. It’s different to international cricket, I know, but I haven’t had a huge opportunity there. I’d certainly be interested, but we’ll wait and see.”

Bailey confirmed that Smith was being rested and would return for New Zealand.

“It’s an opportunity for him to just have a really small break,” Bailey said. “He’s likely to return for that New Zealand series in some capacity, so he’ll continue to get opportunities.”

Australia T20I squad versus West Indies: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa (Excerpt from ESPNcricinfo)