Spin king Nathan Lyon bagged six wickets, together with century-maker Kraigg Brathwaite, as Australia floor down a gutsy West Indies to win the primary Test in Perth by 164 runs on Sunday.
Skipper Brathwaite, who took the match right into a remaining day with a defiant in a single day 101 after Australia declared its second innings at 182 for 2 on day 4, couldn’t maintain the momentum going in opposition to Lyon and was bowled for 110.
The Caribbean nation resumed on 192 for 3, needing to bat by way of 90 overs for a draw after gamely rebuffing an assault lacking the injured Pat Cummins for 2 periods on Saturday.
But it was all out for 333 after some plucky late resistance.
Lyon ended with six for 128, within the course of surpassing India’s Ravichandran Ashwin to turn into the eighth-highest wicket-taker in Test historical past with 446.
“To win the first Test of any series is important. We are playing Test cricket and we expect a tough fight,” mentioned Lyon. “I was pretty happy with that one (Brathwaite’s wicket), he’s a superstar batsman.”
It prolonged the West Indies’ 25-year run of failing to win a Test on Australian soil, with the host retaining the Frank Worrell Trophy forward of the second, and remaining, Test in Adelaide beginning on Thursday.
Brathwaite mentioned after his day 4 exploits that the opening overs could be “very, very crucial” and in entrance of a spartan crowd, it was Australia which prevailed.
Kyle Mayers, who has been dominated out of any additional bowling within the two-Test collection with a shoulder pressure, added simply 10 runs to his in a single day nought.
Lyon made the breakthrough, with Mayers getting a thick edge to Steve Smith at slip.
Brathwaite was nearly chanceless in making his 100, however Lyon, in his 111th Test, lastly beat the bat and he was bowled, ending a powerful innings.
Part-time spinner Travis Head was introduced on on the different finish and in his first over accounted for Jason Holder for 3, with Smith taking a spectacular slip catch.
Australia took the brand new ball and with it got here their tempo battery. Josh Hazlewood enticed an outdoor edge from Joshua Da Silva which Usman Khawaja collected at second slip to depart the West Indies in hassle.
But Rostan Chase and Alzarri Joseph (43) put up resistance, including 82 runs for the eighth wicket earlier than Head stepped up as soon as once more to finish the partnership, bowling Joseph.
Lyon took his fifth to take away Chase for a battling 55 then Kemar Roach for a duck to wrap it up.
Double tons
The West Indies by no means recovered from a dominant first innings batting show from Australia with Marnus Labuschagne and Smith each smacking double centuries to propel them to an enormous 598-4 declared.
After the West Indies have been eliminated for 283 in reply, Labuschagne then belted 104 not out to turn into solely the eighth participant to realize the 200-100 feat in the identical Test, becoming a member of the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara and Kumar Sangakkara.
While outplayed, a younger West Indies did present grit and dedication.
Few anticipated it to take the sport to 5 days in opposition to the world’s top-ranked aspect, with its new opening partnership of Brathwaite and debutant Tagenarine Chanderpaul exhibiting nice promise, producing stands of 78 and 116.
But its bowlers let it down, taking simply six wickets whereas conceding 780 runs.
Its shares have been, nevertheless, depleted with all-rounder Raymon Reifer dominated out injured earlier than a ball was bowled.
Top-order batter Nkrumah Bonner suffered concussion and was substituted, Mayers was unable to bowl within the second innings with a shoulder pressure and Roach limped off with a hamstring niggle.
With the accidents piling up, the West Indies despatched an SOS to uncapped Marquino Mindley who’s en path to Australia as cowl for the Adelaide Test.