Australia have extended their reign on the Frank Worrell Trophy by at least another couple of years after romping to a series-clinching 133-run win in the second Test in Grenada.
Nathan Lyon sealed a second straight 100-plus run triumph just before tea on day four as West Indies collapsed to 143 all out in their second innings, never seriously threatening the 277 required for victory.
It gave Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series, continuing their 30-year stranglehold on the famed silverware named after Windies legend Sir Frank Worrell, which they have held since Mark Taylor’s side ended West Indies’ own two decades of dominance in 1995.
Aussie destroyer Shamar Joseph (4-66) – who now has 27 wickets at 18 in four Tests against Australia – kept the hosts’ victory push alive as he quickly wrapped up the tourists second innings early on day four, but West Indies’ hopes of an upset were quickly dashed by another top order collapse to begin their run chase.
After crashing to 8-86 in last week’s 159-run defeat in the Barbados series opener, the Windies slumped to 7-99 after bowling out Australia for 243, with Shamar adding the wickets of Pat Cummins (4) and Alex Carey (30) while namesake Alzarri Joseph (2-52) clean bowled Josh Hazlewood to end the innings around 45 minutes into day four.
Hazlewood (2-33) was back in the thick of it moments later with the new ball, trapping John Campbell leg before for a duck to give Australia’s defence a dream start.
It was the second time the right-armer had struck in his first over of an innings in the match after removing veteran opener Kraigg Brathwaite for a duck in his 100th Test.
Brathwaite didn’t fare much better in the second innings as he feathered an edge off allrounder Beau Webster (1-15) to wicketkeeper Alex Carey on seven to leave the Windies 3-29 after Keacy Carty (10) also fell in near identical fashion to Mitchell Starc (3-24).
A second dog delay of a Test with a particular park cricket feel did little to perturb the Aussies as Cummins (1-26) struck with a peach in the final over of the session to leave the home side four down at lunch, Brandon King (14) left stunned as the angled in delivery nipped sharply away off the pitch, beating his outside edge and crashing into the top of off stump.
Notably, it was the first delivery after Australia had managed to convince the umpires to change the Dukes ball as it was determined to be out of shape, which has been a regular occurrence throughout the two Tests so far in this series.
Shai Hope (17) and skipper Roston Chase (34) threw the willow around after the lunch break, the latter landing two blows into the stands off Webster and Starc.
But the end came quickly amid another strong team bowling display after Hope skied a pull shot back to the bowler in Hazlewood before Chase was given out lbw to Starc that he failed to overturn on review.
Lyon (3-43) chipped in with the last three wickets to edge within one of Glenn McGrath (563 wickets) in second place on Australia’s all-time Test wicket-takers list as West Indies succumbed to defeat 13 minutes before tea.
Australia will be seeking a series sweep when the two sides head to Jamaica for the third Test, which will be the visitors’ first away day-night encounter beginning on Saturday (4.30am Sunday AEST).
Qantas Tour of the West Indies
First Test: Australia won by 159 runs
Second Test: Australia won by 133 runs
Third Test: July 12-16, Kingston, Jamaica (4.30am AEST)
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
West Indies Test squad: Roston Chase (c), Jomel Warrican (vc), Kevlon Anderson, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Mikyle Louis, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales
First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica (July 21, 11am AEST)
Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica (July 23, 11am AEST)
Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 26, 9am AEST)
Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 27, 9am AEST)
Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 29, 9am AEST)
West Indies T20 squad: TBC
Australia’s T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshius, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa
