HOBART, Australia (AP) – Adam Voges’ double century then Nathan Lyon’s three wickets left Australia leading the West Indies by 376 runs on the second day Friday of the first test.
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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.
Steve Smith, the Australian captain, said he will be fit for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne despite suffering from knee and hip problems that arose during his team’s crushing innings victory of West Indies.
In a grim foreboding of what lies ahead for the maligned Caribbean tourists in the three-Test series, Australia cruised effortlessly to 438 for three at stumps on the opening day with the West Australian pair taking the game away from the Windies.
Australia’s first innings was dominated by a record fourth-wicket stand of 449 by Voges and Shaun Marsh (182).
They were separated when Marsh was caught at midwicket just before the break, leaving the duo just two runs shy of the record for the highest stand by any Australians in Tests set by Bill Ponsford and Donald Bradman in 1934.
The West Australian was 139 not out at stumps after putting on an unbeaten 317 for the fourth wicket with fellow West Aussie Adam Voges, who had reached his highest Test score of 174. Our batters have been fantastic, that partnership with V (Voges) and SOS (Marsh) has been unbelievable really.
Bravo (108) barely had time to bring up his seventh Test ton – and sixth overseas – before the Windies innings ended on 9-223. It is also the first time since 1948 that they have been asked to follow-on more often than they have managed to enforce it. Gabriel will be sent home, with a replacement to be named in coming days.
“The West Indies have some quality bowlers in their attack, led by Jerome Taylor”.
Hazlewood, bowling with great shape, was unlucky not to snare Jomel Warrican who gloved just over Joe Burns head at short leg to see off the hat-trick attempt.
“I know I’ve got around the wicket up my sleeve if I think I need to change it up, but I was happy over the wicket today”.
Fellow opener Rajendra Chandrika followed in the 20th over when he was deceived by a drifting Lyon delivery and got an outside edge to Steve Smith at slip for 25.
The West Indies innings finished on the ninth wicket down in either innings with injured fast bowler Shannon Gabriel unable to bat because of a stressed left ankle injury.
Given the problems that have beset West Indies cricket over the last decade it is perhaps unfair to expect Holder, who only turned 24 last month, to arrest the decline.
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Early wickets were not what the West Indies innings required, faced with such an imposing total, but Kraigg Brathwaite made just two before being trapped lbw by Josh Hazlewood.
