Yesterday would go down as yet another day that West Indian cricketers chased leather in the hot sun and was then battling to save yet another match. At the end of the third day of the second and final Test of the Sir Frank Worrell series against Australia, the visitors were well poised to make a clean sweep.
After Jason Holder banged 82 not out, to avoid the embarrassment of the follow-on, West Indies bowlers did not have a clue against top class Australian batting. The men from Down Under declared their second innings at 212 for two, after three men got half centuries, to set the West Indies a hefty 392 runs for victory.
Left with eight overs to negotiate before the close of the day the West Indies were tottering on 16/2. A jaded Kraigg Brathwaite played on third ball of the innings and an eerie silence fell across Sabina Park in Jamaica. Mitchell Starc was not finished just yet and ball number six, saw Rajindra Chandrika walking back to the pavilion - for another 'duck' on his debut Test. The Guyanese had a carbon copy dismissal from the first innings as he received a good length ball outside off stump to which he drove loosely, allowing Shaun Marsh to bend forward at gully and snap up.
Holder played a gem of an innings to take the West Indies to 220 all out in reply to Australia's first innings knock of 399 all out. On the back of a solid lead, Australian openers David Warner and Marsh took to the crease and looked untroubled for the most part. After negotiating the new ball, they blossomed nicely into some fine stroke play that was lapped up by their travelling fans.
Warner, who has struggled against the West Indies in the past, got his highest score against them of 62 before he was dismissed by Kemar Roach. His opening stand with Marsh was worth 117. At the end of this stand, the West Indies was effectively out of the game. Warner batted for 146 minutes and faced 100 balls striking seven fours and a six.
Marsh who batted well within himself, left with the score at 163 for 69 - giving spinner Veerasammy Permaul his first wicket of the innings, after he was plundered all around the park. His 69 came off 153 balls with nine fours and a six.Steve Smith the run machine continued his good work and scored a fluent 54 not out, when skipper Michael Clarke declared the innings. Smith's 54 not out came from 83 balls with five fours and a six.
