Having lost both their openers to Mitchell Starc, West Indies had an uphill task on Day 4, having been reduced to 16 for two after being set a daunting target of 392 by Australia on the third day of the second and final Test at Sabina Park. With a first innings lead of 179, the visitors' openers David Warner (62) and Shaun Marsh (69) compiled an opening stand of 117 on the way to individual half-centuries and Steve Smith followed his first innings 199 with an unbeaten 54. Skipper Michael Clarke then determined that, at 212 for two in the final session, the tourists had enough runs on the board and challenged his bowlers to make early inroads in eight testing overs before the close of play.
AUSTRALIA IN WEST INDIES, 2015
Live Cricket Score of West Indies vs Australia, 2nd Test, Day 4 at Kingston, Jamaica
Live Score Updates
West Indies 220-10 & 114-10 (42 Ovs)
Australia 399-10 & 212-2 dec
Australia won by 277 runs
Australia will be looking to wrap things up quickly on Day 4. © Cricbuzz
Starc was on target immediately, bowling Kraigg Brathwaite off the inside-edge and drawing a loose drive from fellow-opener Rajendra Chandrika to be caught at gully. Both failed to score, Chandrika enduring the indignity of a 'pair' on debut, just the second West Indian in the history of Test cricket to have such a chastening experience. Darren Bravo, who had an lbw verdict off spinner Nathan Lyon overturned on review, will resume on the fourth morning with the inexperienced Shane Dowrich and the odds heavily in Australia's favour to complete victory and a 2-0 series sweep with a day to spare.
Jason Holder put smiles on glum West Indian faces at the start of the day, blazing an unbeaten 82 to ensure that the home side, beaten by nine wickets inside three days in the first Test, avoided the follow-on. With the home side in deep trouble at 143 for eight overnight, Holder stole the spotlight with a brilliant, counter-attacking innings. He belted 12 fours and two sixes, the second of the towering hits taking him to his second Test half-century, off just 63 deliveries. However Josh Hazlewood wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor in the space of three deliveries to finish with his best Test innings figures of five for 38 off 15.5 overs.
Australia were just five overs into Day 4 when Mitchell Starc delivered a breakthrough by getting rid of Shane Dowrich in the 13th over. THe ball was pitched on a good length and swung back in sharply. Dowrich, who tried to play the flick shot, failed to make any contact and was bowled for four. Starc then rapped Shai Hope on the pads off his next delivery and Australia decided to make use of the DRS when the onfield umpire ruled in favour of the batsman. Australia ended up losing a review as replays revealed that the ball was missing leg-stump by some distance.
Darren Bravo became the fourth West Indian batsman to depart, giving Josh Hazlewood a wicket in the 16th over. The batsman pushed at a delivery that was pitched on a good length and moved awayand ended up edging it to Shaun Marsh, who took a good low catch at gully. Jermaine Blackwood did not disturb the scorers and was chopped on a Hazlewood delivery in the 18th over as West Indies slipped to 33/5.
Hope and Denesh Ramdin kept the Australian bowlers at bay as they tried to resurrect the West Indies innings with a steady partnership. While Hope looked solid with his defence, Ramdin struggled a bit against the Aussie pacers, but managed to hang around and support his partner in putting on a defiant stand. The sixth-wicket pair also managed a few boundaries as they made sure to put away the bad deliveries. With a cut past backward point for a four off Johnson in the 25th over, Ramdin helped West Indies to the 50-run mark.
Mitchell Johnson seemed a bit off colour in this game, but the left-arm pacer managed to get amongst the wickets in the second innings when he sent back Hope in the 27th over. The batsman pressed forward and tried to defend a good length delivery which Johnson deliveried from round the wicket. However, the ball sneaked between bat and pad to strike the off stump. Hope departed on 16, leaving West Indies at 55/6.
While Jason Holder came up with a splendid knock in the first innings, he could not repeat that act as he fell to Shane Watson in the 30th over to leave West Indies reeling at 62/7. The batsman flicked one in the air and hit the ball straight to Starc at short mid-wicket to depart on one.
West Indies lost wickets early on Day 4 to be in lot of trouble. ©Reuters
Ramdin and Veerasammy Permaul remained unbeaten to ensure that West Indies brought back Australia for another session. The hosts though were in shambles, reduced to 72/7 in a chase of 392. Beginning the day at 16/2, West Indies needed to bat extremely well, but the Australian bowlers were relentless and put them under a lot of pressure. Mitchell Starc started the collapse with the wicket of Shane Dowrich before Josh Hazlewood got rid of Darren Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood. Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson then chipped in with the wickets of Shai Hope and Jason Holder respectively to leave West Indies seven down.
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