 "West Indies missed out on the lowest Test score record by just 1 run. Image: AFP")
West Indies suffered one of the darkest days in their Test history as they were bowled out for just 27 runs, the second-lowest total in Test cricket, to hand Australia a massive win by 176 runs in the third Test at Sabina Park, Kingston.
Australian fast bowlers ran riot, with Mitchell Starc taking 6 wickets for 9 runs and Scott Boland grabbing a hat-trick, as the hosts fell apart in just 14.3 overs. West Indies narrowly avoided the lowest-ever Test score of 26 set by New Zealand in 1955.
West Indies captain Roston Chase called it “a heartbreaking way to finish” and admitted that while the bowlers did well throughout the series, the batting lineup simply didn’t deliver.
Kevin Pietersen, fans react to West Indies’ unwanted record
Reactions are pouring in from all across the world, with some expressing shock over the West Indies’ performance, while others praising Australia for dominating the Caribbean team in their backyard.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsStarc’s first 15 balls delivered the fastest five-wicket haul in test history, and his 15th five-wicket innings in tests. The tall left-arm paceman took a wicket with the first ball of the West Indies’ second innings and three wickets in that first over — a triple-wicket maiden.
“It’s been a fantastic series. I think we’ve seen some difficult batting conditions throughout,” said Starc, who claimed his 400th career test wicket in his 100th test, a memorable milestone. “It’s been a good few days, very enjoyable and I’ll go home with a smile on my face.”
Starc said he felt like his rhythm had been building for a month.
“Today again just felt like everything was in sync,” he said. “Everyone who had the ball in hand today was on the mark straight away.
“I don’t think we imagined it was going to happen as quickly as it did but when you’ve got an attack like ours, some things can happen like that.”
Australia completed a 3-0 sweep of the Frank Worrell Trophy, having won the first two Tests by 159 runs in Barbados and 133 runs in Grenada.
(With agency inputs)