Australia dominate West Indies by 419 runs, sweep series

A fourth innings West Indies collapse has handed Australia a 419-run victory in the second Test of their two-match series in Adelaide with hometown kid Travis Head claiming Player of the Match honours.

After stand-in skipper Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat, Australia enjoyed a comfortable opening innings with Marnus Labuschagne continuing his phenomenal form and Head surpassing his previous highest score in Tests after Smith was dismissed for a shock duck.

Labuschagne was eventually dismissed for 163 before Head was run-out – much to his frustration – for 175.

Opener Usman Khawaja got off to another stout start before falling for 62 whilst Alex Carey topped off the innings with a handy 41 not out.

Australia declared at 7-for-511 shortly before tea on Day 2.

Alzarri Joseph and Devon Thomas each took a pair of wickets whilst Jason Holder and Kraigg Brathwaite also snagged a wicket each.

Roston Chase had another tough day at the office finishing with figures of 0-for-117.

Michael Neser – who was a late call-up into the side for the injured Josh Hazlewood – took the early wicket in-form skipper Brathwaite before dismissing Shamarh Brooks shortly after.

Nathan Lyon caught and bowled Jermaine Blackwood and Cameron Green knocked over Thomas before stumps to have the visitors at 4-for-102 at stumps.

The resolve of rookie Tagenarine Chanderpaul was again on display before some skilful fielding from Mitchell Starc caught him short of his crease early on Day 3.

Starc then dismissed Holder for a duck before Lyon claimed the wicket of Joshua da Silva.

Night watchman Anderson Phillip added a much-needed 43 before he was run-out by Labuschagne.

Lyon dismissed Joseph and Starc dismissed Chase to wrap up the innings with the West Indies bowled out for 214 on the stroke of dinner.

Lyon finished with 3-for-57 with Starc and Neser each taking two.

Australia went at better than a run a ball in their second innings with Khawaja’s 45 leading the way as they looked to send the West Indies back in under lights.

Labuschagne, Smith, and Head all added 30-plus at quick rates before Australia declared at 6-for-199.

The West Indies suffered through a devastating period under lights with cult-hero Scott Boland coming into his own in remarkably familiar fashion.

Chasing 497, Brathwaite and Chanderpaul were unable to channel the same resilience they have throughout the series.

Brathwaite was Boland’s first victim falling for just three before the Victorian sent Brooks and Blackwood back to the pavilion both for nought to cap off a triple-wicket maiden in what was his first over of the innings.

Starc dismissed Chanderpaul for just 17 to have the West Indies at 4-for-21 in the ninth over.

Thomas was dismissed by Starc for 12 off 56 the first wicket of Day 4 before Holder fell victim to Starc four overs later for 11 off 61.

Neser claimed Chase and da Silva thanks to some superb glovework courtesy of Carey who was standing up to the stumps before Lyon bowled Joseph for just three.

Neser and Carey again combined for the final wicket of the match to seal things for the hosts.

Neser, Boland, and Starc each claimed three whilst Lyon claimed his 450th Test wicket becoming just the third Australian in Test history to do so.

Head was named Player of the Match whilst Labuschagne took home Player of the Series as Australia continued their two-decade-plus dominance over the West Indies.

Labuschagne finished with the series’ highest run tally (502) and Lyon the highest wicket tally (12) whilst the West Indies were led by Brathwaite (196) and Joseph (5).

The Frank Worrell Trophy remains in the hands of the Australians who prepare for a three-Test series against South Africa beginning on Saturday in Brisbane.