The Windies’ score on the third day of the day-night Test in Jamaica was only one run higher than New Zealand’s 26 all out against England in 1955. The lowest score by the West Indies had been the 47 they scored against England in 2004.
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who was playing his 100th Test, took 6-9 in figures that featured five wickets in 15 balls. It remains the quickest five-wicket haul in Test cricket and also saw Starc reach 400 wickets in the longer version of the game. Seamer Scott Boland also chipped in with a hat-trick as the tourists secured the 3-0 series victory.
“It’s frustrating to be in a situation where we feel we can get the game and then come out and produce this sort of batting,” said Windies captain Roston Chase, whose team required 204 for victory, having bowled out the visitors for only 121 in their first innings.
“It’s something that has been recurring throughout the entire series – that makes it even more disappointing. Australia had reached 99-6 on resuming day three of the day-night pink-ball Test but only managed to post 22 runs as Alzarri Joseph claimed 5-27 for the hosts.
The Windies’ response began with left-armer Starc, 35, getting rid of John Campbell with the opening ball before he leg-before Kevlon Anderson and bowled Brandon King with his fifth and sixth balls respectively as all three went without score.
Starc dismissed Mikyle Louis, who was on four, and Shai Hope (2) in his third over to leave the hosts at 7-5 from 4.3 overs. Josh Hazlewood dismissed Roston Chase for a duck to leave the West Indies 11-6 before Boland’s hat-trick. The right-armer got rid of Justin Greaves, top-scoring with 11 of the 27, Shamar Joseph and Jomel Warrican in the 13th over.
A misfield gave West Indies a run with the score at 26 before Starc dismissed Jayden Seales to close the hosts’ innings and claim his 402nd Test wicket, and also reaffirm his position as the greatest practitioner of pace bowling with the pink ball in Test cricket.
“It’s been a great series,” Starc said, becoming the fourth Australian to reach the 400-wicket barrier after Nathan Lyon, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne to do so.
“We’ve faced some tough batting conditions along the way, but it’s been a great series for us. Been a good couple of days, really a pleasure. I head home with a smile on my face.”.
“Our bowling attack has been reasonably on the money in the series, and today was another example of that. The teams will then face each other in a five-match T20 series next, which gets underway on 21 July in Jamaica (01:00 BST).
