Hapless, hopeless and helpless, West Indies collapsed to their second-heaviest defeat in Tests against Australia as James Pattinson marked his return with a five-wicket haul that destroyed the top order. Australia batted for the first four sessions of the match and lost only four wickets; West Indies batted less than four sessions and lost all their wickets, for both innings, crushed by an innings and 212 runs before tea on the third afternoon.
In the end the only real interest was whether Kraigg Brathwaite could reach a second-innings century and carry his bat, but even that proved a step too far. His fighting effort came to halt when he was bowled by Josh Hazlewood for 94, the wicket that confirmed the result as the West Indian No.11 Shannon Gabriel was unable to bat due to a foot injury. Brathwaite had scored 63.51% of West Indies’ 148, the highest percentage ever by a West Indian in a Test innings.
Darren Bravo was similarly a stand-out in the first innings, completing his 108 out of 223 on the third morning. Bravo achieved the rare feat of being dismissed twice in a session, caught trying for late runs in the first innings and then bowled by Pattinson cheaply in the second, part of a procession of wickets before lunch. Michael Clarke took until the last Test of his career to enforce the follow on; Steven Smith had no hesitation in doing it in his fourth Test as full-time captain.
His bowlers were fresh enough, having taken only five overs to wrap up the West Indies’ first innings in the morning. At least Bravo had time to reach a well-deserved hundred. He started the day on 94 and brought up his century – the seventh of his Test career – in the first over of play, with a pair of boundaries driven through the off side off Peter Siddle. But the celebration was short-lived as Hazlewood struck twice in the next over.
Kemar Roach edged behind for 31, ending a 99-run stand, and Jerome Taylor chopped on for a golden duck next ball, and while there was no hat-trick for Hazlewood, there was little other consolation for West Indies. Bravo was the last man out, caught off the bowling of Siddle, and West Indies still trailed by 360 runs. Smith enforced the follow-on, but little did he know the second innings wouldn’t even last 40 overs.
Pattinson bowled well and found some movement, and Hazlewood was typically accurate, but there was little fight from West Indies. Rajendra Chandrika edged to slip off Pattinson for the third duck of his four-innings Test career, Bravo was caught with leaden feet and chopped on, Marlon Samuels saw one fly off the shoulder of his bat to gully for 3, and Jermaine Blackwood completed a pair for the match when he was bowled by a Pattinson ball that stayed low.
It was a horrific start, and was only to get worse when Denesh Ramdin edged Mitchell Marsh’s first delivery to gully and was caught for 4. West Indies were 5 for 30 and in serious danger of being dismissed for less than 100 in a Test innings for the first time in 11 years. But the captain and vice-captain steadied things somewhat, Jason Holder joining Brathwaite for a 30-run partnership.
Pattinson ended the stand and brought up his five-for by having Holder caught-behind down leg side for 17, and Hazlewood finished the job with the last three wickets. He bounced out Roach, who was caught-behind trying to hook for 3, had Taylor caught at mid-off for 12 and then denied Brathwaite his hundred when he was bowled for 94 off 122 deliveries.
Twelve wickets had fallen in less than two sessions on the third day as West Indies capitulated. Now they face a fortnight’s wait until the second Test, on Boxing Day at the MCG. In the meantime, they have only one tour game scheduled, a two-day affair in Geelong next weekend, while many of Australia’s players will turn out in the first few days of BBL competition. And as Test matches go, this one was a good advertisement for the much more competitive BBL.
(Taken from ESPN Sports Media Ltd)