AUS vs WI | Twitter lauds valiant N Bonner soldiering on despite vicious blow on the head before being forced to walk away

West Indies continued to put up strong resistance on day two of the first Test despite the odds being stacked against them as they pursue the mammoth 598-run total achieved by the Kangaroos in the first innings. Resuming at 74/0, opener Tangerine Chanderpaul returned to the hut early after being done by a Josh Hazlewood masterclass but did manage to register a half-century on debut. However, the Caribbean duo of Kraigg Braithwaite and Nkrumah Bonner avoided a collapse, as can often be the case in such scenarios, by digging in and doggedly battling off the world-class Australian pace trio.

In search for a wicket, skipper Pat Cummins handed over the Kookaburra ball to local hero Cameron Green and the young upstart made his impact in his first over itself. Bowling the third delivery of the 33rd over to Bonner, the 23-year-old banged in a short ball hard on the deck, making the batter scramble for safety. Even though the Jamaican managed to duck and turn his head away, he could not crouch low enough to avoid the ball as it struck him sharp on the back of the head. The physios immediately rushed to the field, taking their time to check for a concussion before allowing the 33-year-old to continue.

Bonner battled on for nearly half an hour more as he doubled his score to 16 by facing 20 more deliveries but had to eventually give in to safety concerns. During drinks at the end of the 39th over, the physios evaluated the situation once again, and with Bonner seemingly indicating feeling pain under the eye, they advised the batter to walk off and allow Jermaine Blackwood to take the crease. It remains to be seen whether Bonner will need a concussion substitute, but Twitterati was nevertheless quick to praise the heart Bonner showed after the scary blow and sent him wishes for a speedy recovery. 

That was horrible

Delayed Concussion

Retired hurt

Bonner walks back

Hope he is good

That was nasty

He should be

Should've walked back early on

He looked fine

Highly likely