Australia seal series with thumping win


Mitchell Marsh wraps up the Test and Australia pick up a series win against West Indies with a 177-run win. It was a great Test for the Australians who dominated right from the word go. West Indies will take solace in the fact that this performance has been their better ones in the series albeit being on the losing side. They finally showed some fight!

Declaring overnight, and setting West Indies a target of 460 - after scoring 551 in the first innings - Steve Smith and Co. would have been extremely frustrated with the proceedings after the first session that saw just one wicket fall. The bowlers then came back strongly to bowl the opposition out in the remaining two sessions.

Chandrika and Bravo added 48 runs for the second wicket, but both being dismissed in quick succession didn't help West Indies' cause at all. Marlon Samuels's poor form in the series continued and Blackwood failed as well. Then came a partnership that gave the visitors some glimmer of hope. Ramdin and Holder counter-attacked in style and got to their fifties giving West Indies their first 100-run stand of the series.

But it all was quashed as Mitchell Marsh was brought back and got both Ramdin and Holder, putting an end to West Indies's hope. Play was extended by an extra half an hour to give Australia the chance of picking up the final wicket and wrapping up the Test and they did so in just two minutes of the extra time to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Carlos Brathwaite was a discovery for West Indies; his performance in the Test on debut will hold him in good stead for time to come. For Australia, Peter Siddle might have picked up an injury. Confirmation on the same should be in soon.

While there were as many as four centurions for Australia in the Test, Nathan Lyon was named Man of the Match for his seven wickets.

The next Test begins on January 3, 2016 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.