AUSTRALIA TOUR OF WEST INDIES, 2025
Josh Hazlewood finished with figures of 5-43 in the second innings of his team’s big victory © AFP
Josh Hazlewood starred for Australia with 5 for 43 as West Indies lost all 10 wickets in the final session on Day 3 to go down by 159 runs in the first Test. Nathan Lyon claimed the last two wickets off consecutive balls in what would have been the final over of the day, wrapping up a dominant win with two days to spare. Australia now lead the two-match series 1-0.
Set 301 to win, West Indies showed early signs of fight. Although they lost Kraigg Brathwaite in the first over to Mitchell Starc with a flick to backward square leg, they reached 47 for 1 through some adventurous batting by John Campbell and Keacy Carty, who was dropped by Cameron Green on 1. But then came the collapse.
Both the set batters fell off consecutive balls. Campbell attempted a scoop off Hazlewood, only to glove it to Carey. Brandon King then inside-edged the ball onto his pad for a sharp catch to gully. Hazlewood soon got West Indies captain Roston Chase in similar fashion before delivering a full ball that bowled Carty, leaving West Indies gasping at 56 for 5.
Shai Hope was undone by a ball from Pat Cummins that stayed low and scooted under his bat. Justin Greaves was then joined by Shamar Joseph, who smacked two sixes out of the stadium in a 22-ball 44, surviving a dropped catch by Sam Konstas in the deep along the way.
At seven down, with time running out, Australia took the extra 30 minutes. Marnus Labuschagne, on the field as a substitute, produced a direct-hit run out to remove Alzarri Joseph before Hazlewood dismissed Jomel Warrican with a thick edge to slip to complete his five-for. Lyon then wrapped things up in fading light by getting Shamar to edge to slip and getting Jayden Seales caught at short leg to bring the innings to a close on 141.
Earlier in the day, Australia had built a strong second-innings total of 310 after starting on 92 for 4. Travis Head, given a reprieve on 21 when Greaves spilled a sharp chance at second slip, went on to score a composed 61, his second fifty of the game which earned him the Player of the Match award. His stand of 102 with Beau Webster set Australia up for a big total on a tough pitch.
The stand was broken when Head got a brute from Shamar that barely bounced and crashed into the stumps. Webster followed him to the pavilion after lunch, glancing Joseph down the leg side after reaching 63. Alex Carey, though, took the game further away from West Indies with a 75-ball 65.
Shamar, who had missed a five-wicket haul in the first innings thanks to a dropped catch, returned figures of 5 for 87 but the effort proved too little too late.
Brief Scores: Australia 180 (Head 59; Seales 5-60) & 310 (Carey 65; Joseph 5-87) beat West Indies 190 (Hope 48; Starc 3-65) & 141 (Joseph 44; Hazlewood 5-43) by 159 runs
© Cricbuzz
