The Pink Ball Test between the West Indies and Australia finished in a way that no one would have expected. West Indies got bundled out for just 27 runs in the fourth innings and lost the match by 176 runs. This happened after Australia scored 225 and 121 runs in the first and second innings, respectively. The West Indies replied with 143 runs in the first innings and 27 runs in the second.
The match got over in two and a half days, and no batter from either team touched the 50-run mark. Test cricket is 148 years old, and till now, 2595 matches have been played. This total by the West Indies is the second-lowest total in the history of Test cricket. West Indies’ top six batters scored a total of six runs, which is the lowest total by the top six batters in a Test innings. Here’s how things unfolded:
West Indies vs Australia, 3rd Test Match Review
West Indies lost the first two Test matches and came to Jamaica to avoid a whitewash. West Indies had never been whitewashed at home in a series of three or more Tests. Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat. It was Mitchell Starc’s 100th Test match. Australia decided to go in with four pacers in the playing 11 as Nathan Lyon made way for Scott Boland.
Australia lost the wicket of Sam Konstas in the 17th over, and Usman Khawaja followed him by the time the 32nd over was completed. Cameron Green and Steven Smith stitched a partnership of 61 runs for the fourth wicket and took the team’s total over the 100-run mark. Australia lost the wicket of Green on 129 runs, and by the time 225 runs were there on the board, the entire batting lineup was back in the pavilion. Shamar Joseph again proved his worth with four wickets to his name, while Jayden Seales and Justin Greaves took three wickets each.
The West Indies didn’t have a great start either and lost five wickets under 100 runs. The last five wickets fell for just 48 runs. The team finished with 143 runs on the board, and only five batters managed to make a double-digit score. Boland was the pick of the bowlers for Australia and took three wickets for 34 runs.
Australian batters struggled once again in the second innings, and this time it was worse than the first innings. Green top scored with 42 runs, while no other batter managed to cross the 20-run mark. Alzarri Joseph, who went wicketless in the first innings, claimed a fifer, while Shamar picked four wickets.
The West Indies had a target of 204 runs in the fourth innings. Starc opened the bowling for Australia and took three wickets in his very first over. He claimed two more in the fifth over and completed his five-wicket haul. Boland took a hat-trick in the 14th over, and the West Indies looked in serious trouble. Mitchell Starc put a full-stop mark to the West Indies’ innings in the 15th over.
West Indies vs Australia, 3rd Test Stats
Starc played his 100th Test match and became only the fourth Australian bowler to take 400 wickets in Test cricket. He is the second-fastest bowler and the first left-arm pacer to take 400 wickets for Australia.
West Indies was bundled out for 27, which is the second-highest total in Test cricket. The record for the lowest total in Test cricket is in New Zealand’s name. They were all out for 26 runs against England in Auckland.
Starc took 4.3 overs to complete his five-wicket haul. It was the fastest five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Boland became the 10th Australian bowler to take a Test hat-trick. He has now taken 62 wickets in 14 Test matches at an average of 16.53. Boland has featured in four Pink-Ball Test matches and has taken 18 wickets at an average of 13.16.
A total of seven West Indies batters were dismissed for a duck in the fourth innings. It is the most ever in an innings.
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