Published: Jun 14, 2015, 08:36 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 15, 2015, 07:09 AM (IST)
Australia have played according to their clinical, aggressive best in this two-Test series against West Indies, and will back themselves to clinch victory in the second Test on the fourth day in Kingston. Michael Clarke’s sport declaration, which provided their opponents a target of 392, has allowed their bowlers the cushion of two full days to take the eight remaining West Indies’ wickets: the openers have already been dismissed. LIVE SCORECARD: West Indies vs Australia, 2nd Test, Kingston, Day 4
Steve Smith‘s 199 — his best in his career — and a combined bowling effort topped by Josh Hazlewood‘s five-wicket haul gave them a solid lead of 179. David Warner and Shaun Marsh, the openers, who haven’t had a fruitful series so far, combined to help push the lead towards 400. LIVE UPDATES: West Indies vs Australia, 2nd Test, Kingston, Day 4
And in the first over of West Indies’ reply, Mitchell Starc took two wickets to leave them struggling at 1 for 2. Darren Bravo and Shane Dowrich played cautiously to negotiate the next seven overs, but it seems it will only be a matter of time before the middle and lower order is exposed by the Australian attack. How much fight will West Indies’ batsmen put up? This remains to be seen on Sunday.
A victory for Australia will mean a 2-0 whitewash win for them, as they had won the last Test, held in Dominica, as well. West Indies will taste defeat after a morale-boosting series draw against England in April. Australia’s last Test assignment was against India in their home summer: they had beaten India 2-0 in the four-Test series, before clinching the ODI tri-series competition against India and England, and the World Cup.
Brief Scores:
Australia 399 (Steven Smith 199, Michael Clarke 47; Jerome Taylor 6 for 47) and 212 for 2 declared (Shaun Marsh 69, David Warner 62, Steven Smith 54*) lead West Indies 220 (Jermaine Blackwood 51, Jason Holder 82*; Josh Hazlewood 5 for 38, Nathan Lyon 3 for 55) and 16 for 2 (Darren Bravo 8*, Shane Dowrich 1*) by 375 runs
