Australia recorded their 13th win in 14 Tests against the West Indies on Monday as five wickets from Stuart Clark inspired them to a 95 run victory on the fifth and final day of the first Test at Sabina Park.
Clark captured a Test best five for 32 from 20 overs to earn the Man-of-the-Match award, as West Indies, chasing 287 to win, were dismissed for 191 in their second innings about 40 minutes before the scheduled tea break.
Leg-spin bowler Stuart MacGill sealed victory, when he had Amit Jaggernauth caught at forward short leg for a duck.
PHOTO: AFP
The victory gave Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series which continues on Friday in Antigua.
Denesh Ramdin top scored for West Indies with 36, Darren Sammy supported him in a 67-run, seventh-wicket stand with 35, opener Devon Smith made 28 and Daren Powell enjoyed himself in a late flourish of 27.
But Clark made sure the match was over as a genuine contest, when he ripped out Ramnaresh Sarwan and Smith in the first half-hour of the morning to leave the home team 60 for three.
He and Brett Lee shared five wickets in the morning period to bowl Australia into a match-winning position, as West Indies reached 117 for six in their second innings at lunch.
In their opening spells, Clark removed Sarwan, Smith, and Dwayne Bravo, and Lee sent back Runako Morton and Shivnarine Chanderpaul to leave West Indies reeling on 82 for six.
Clark gave Australia a welcome start, when Sarwan was caught at extra cover for 12 in the third over of the morning to a fine catch from Andrew Symonds.
Smith was was adjudged lbw for 28 in the seventh over of the morning, when he offered no shot to a ball from Clark that pitched and straightened.
Lee removed Morton, when he drove at a full length delivery from Lee, missed, and was adjudged lbw for four. The paceman was in the middle of an inspired spell, and had Chanderpaul dropped on five, when the left-hander edged a well-pitched delivery straight into the lap of first slip fielder Simon Katich, and next ball, he had an appeal for an lbw verdict turned down. The Aussie, had the last laugh however, when he held a return catch to remove the Guyanan for 11.
Clark piled on the pressure, when he dismissed Bravo for a duck caught at short mid-on but Australia could not complete the demolition job before lunch, after Sammy joined Ramdin at the crease, and they batted through the last hour before the interval to stem the fall of wickets.
Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin dropped Ramdin on one off Lee, and short leg fielder Phil Jaques dropped Sammy on four off MacGill, but the Aussies remained on track for victory.
In the first half-hour after lunch Ramdin and Sammy batted with enterprise and gathered runs freely.
But the breakthrough when Lee returned to the attack and Ramdin was run out for 26 when he failed to beat MacGill’s direct hit at the bowler’s end from mid-on going for a single off the Aussie fast bowler.
Jaques on the deep square leg boundary dropped Sammy on 31, when the St Lucian pulled a short, rising ball from Lee, but Clark completed his five wicket haul when he had Sammy lbw.
The tailenders entertained the crowd with some imaginative stroke-play towards the end, but their effort was in vain.
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