Australia have surged to a stunning victory in the second Test against the West Indies after taking crucial wickets before lunch on the fourth day in Grenada.
Having set West Indies a target of 277 runs to win after being bowled out for 243 earlier in the morning, the Australian attack left the hosts reeling at 4-33 at lunch.
They then polished off the lower order without too much fuss to bowl the Windies out for 143 to secure a 133-run victory to wrap up the Frank Worrell Trophy inside two Tests.
Beau Webster, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins took the wickets that shredded West Indies’ top order.
Nathan Lyon chimed in with 3-42 to back up Starc’s 3-24 in another superb team effort by the bowling unit.
Cummins thought they had enough runs on the board on the tricky pitch and that proved to be the case with several wickets coming from variable bounce.
“We’ve had to graft our way out of a bit of a spot in both the Test matches,” he said.
“The new ball has been pretty tricky in both games.
“The pitch deteriorated a little bit so it got simpler for our plans – hit good areas ball after ball and wait for the game to come to us.”
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey was named player of the match for his dual half-centuries and his brilliance with the gloves.
Eight balls in and the West Indies were already feeling the pain at the hands of the Aussie pacers.
John Campbell was first to fall, lbw facing his second delivery from Hazlewood. Keacy Carty was next out, edging one from Starc to Carey.
Webster’s introduction in the 10th over was swiftly rewarded with the prized wicket of opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who departed for seven in his 100th Test, Carey again taking the catch..
Brandon King, the saviour of West Indies’ first innings, began his second shift on a positive note, scoring three boundaries in his 14, but Cummins managed to sneak one through his defences right on the brink of lunch.
Earlier, resuming their second innings on 7-221, the tourists were able to add 22 runs for the loss of their last three wickets, leaving the match, at that point at least, delicately poised.
.Cummins was the first to go, without adding to his overnight four. He took a tentative poke at Shamar Joseph’s delivery and the ball took the outside edge to give wicketkeeper Shai Hope a relatively straightforward catch.
Joseph next claimed Australia’s other overnight batter, Carey, a DRS review giving him lbw. He had lifted his overnight 26 to 30.
Last to go was Hazlewood, who made four with a beautiful straight drive to the boundary before being bowled by Azarri Joseph, cousin of Shamar, who took out the middle stick.
It was a credible innings from the Aussies, who made 286 in the first innings, with the highlight a composed 71 from Steve Smith. Shamar Joseph had been their chief tormentor, taking 4-66.
The third Test in Jamaica gets underway on Saturday.
with AAP
